The Diaries of Haruno Sakura: my life!
by thesweetnessofdreams622
Summary: Our eyes met for the first time, emerald and onyx clashed. Time stopped for me, and I didn't want to pull away. Never in my entire life did I think this would happen, I guess it goes to show that life is full of suprises.
1. Birth

**Chapter 1: Birth**

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! I've been a big fan fiction reader since the age of 12, but for some odd reason I never joined the site and actually wrote a story. Anyway I have always been a diehard sasusaku fan and I decided, "why not incorporate my life's story into this fanfiction?" Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my first fanfic, please enjoy!

Birth…..the miracle of life….

Now when I think of the word _miracle, _the words serene and peaceful come to mind. Birth is a miracle given by God, and a moment like this should be cherished. Now on the date of March 28 at precisely 12:00 in the afternoon was not exactly what a person could call "peaceful", in fact I would say it was the complete opposite.

Now why don't we rewind time to that same morning?

_It was a calm and quiet spring day…the birds were chirping, the flowers continued to bloom; it was the rebirth of life. Speaking of life, a woman could be heard screaming in agony inside a small mahogany home in the village hidden in the leaves: Konohagure. The constant shrieking forced the citizens to crowd around the home; they were all curious and worried. After all they knew that this was the household of one of Konoha's well-respected families: the Harunos. They were wealthy people, and the prestige of this family spread throughout the vast majority of the villages in the other nations. As the screaming persisted, a man with dark brown silk-smooth hair and large light blue eyes ran out of the house. "Citizens my wife is giving birth!" Haruno Takashi (the man) shouted. Soon a group of paramedics hurried into the house to retrieve the said woman. She had short copper-red hair, creamy skin, and bright green eyes which held the strangest combination of both fear and joy. Haruno Rina (the woman) safely arrived at the emergency room and was more than ready to give birth to God's miracle of life._

Fast forward to 12:00 in the afternoon at Konoha Hospital…

"Push Rina! Please push and deliver the child safely!" cried my father.

"Do you realize how much energy I am putting into this dammit! Just give me a break Takashi!" shouted my tired and annoyed mother.

You know what made this entire procedure more unnerving? The fact that the nurses were too scared to assist my mother because she was too busy beating my father to a pulp using her inhumane strength! (hmmmm….wonder where she got that from?) Now if I were watching this entire scene on Television, I would think that this whole process would drag on forever, but thank god it didn't! My head popped out, and with more encouragement from everyone in the room (including my traumatized father), my mother mustered all of her remaining strength to push me out of her sweating body. Nurse Shizuka (my mother's OBGYN) picked me up so my mother could rest but that woman was just too pushy and instead ordered Shizuka to put me back into her arms. "Rina since you are already holding the baby, what would you like to name her?" questioned Shizuka. My mother gave me an inquiring look, she must have been thinking, "Where did my child get _pink_ hair from!? I don't recall _any_ of my ancestors having _pink_ hair!" Then she smiled at me and said, "Pink suits her, Takashi, why don't we name the baby Sakura?" My father thought about it for a bit and his expression lit up, he smiled and said, "Haruno Sakura, I like it!"

Nurse Shizuka smiled and took a lovely family photo, "Haruno Takashi and Haruno Rina, congratulations, the hospital staff and or course all of Konoha wishes you the best of luck with your little one".

My mother smiled at me and whispered into my ear,

"Welcome to the world……………..my cherry blossom……".


	2. Oh the Joys of Infancy!

**Author's Note: **Hellooooooooooo fellow readers!!!!! So I promise you that I am not going to be one of those lazy authors who end up having such an amazing story and then at one point they stop writing and their readers want more and more but the authors are just too darn lazy to write!!! Well here I am going to be loyal, and I will never leave my reader's until the end of the story. It will really depend on my schedule. If I end up having a lot on my plate then I'll just update every Friday or Saturday or if I have nothing I can just do it everyday!!!!

Enjoy Chapter 2!!!!!

**Chapter 2: Oh the joys of infancy!**

Well it has been about five months since I was released from the hospital. Now when a child grows up, they usually want to hear that they were a good little angel when they were younger. I was no little angel I can tell you that much, I Haruno Sakura was the devil child. Now you may be thinking, "How can a cute little infant be such a devil!? What could they possibly do to gain that title!?" Well ever since I was born, my parents Haruno Takashi and Haruno Rina have become sleep deprived individuals. My father had to stop his missions for the full five months to help my mother with everything. Night time was complete HELL for the two of them, I feel pretty terrible about this whole thing but what could I have done? I was just a little infant!!! I was such a stubborn little brat that even my mother's soothing lullabies would never be able to put me to sleep. I would end up crying for the entire night and my parents soon discovered that I was a sucker for nightly walks. My father decided that it should be his duty to walk me instead of my mother's, because she spent her entire day slaving away in the kitchen along with putting up with my father's dirty laundry (ewww!!!). For about four hours EVERY NIGHT poor Haruno Takashi would reluctantly get out of his comfortable king-sized bed while putting me in a stroller, and end up walking around the ENTIRE village! Now let me tell you, Konoha is a pretty big place! After the five months, my father had no choice but to go back to work as one of the captains of the ANBU black cops. My mother needed a place for me to stay since she was too busy, so I ended up spending a lot of time with my mother's side of the family. My father's side lives in the village hidden in the clouds, which is too much of a distance from Konoha. My mother dropped me off in the mornings at my grandparent's house and I was greeted by eleven other loud children. I was curious to know who these crazy kids were, it turns out, these little monsters were my cousins! I should probably introduce them: My oldest cousin is Ichiro. He is about 15 years older than me and he is one feisty guy who loves to joke around. Ichiro and my second oldest cousin, Akio, are like the best of friends. They both look a lot alike with their somehow tanned skin, jet black hair, and dark brown eyes. After Akio is Naomi, Ichiro's younger sister. Naomi has always been the really popular and outgoing type, out of all the cousins, she looks the most like me. Except she has dark purple hair with deep blue eyes, but if you looked the two of us you could tell that there is definitely a resemblance. My fourth eldest cousin is Aito, he is about ten years older than I and is known as the real "funny guy" in our family. He was born with long eye lashes and natural spikes in his raven hair. Aito usually hates is when embarrassing and personal information leaves the family grounds, but what fun would it be if I didn't tell you? When Aito was a baby, he used to play with Barbie dolls! (How weird is that?) After Aito is his younger sister (by eleven months) Akemi, how can I describe her? I think she's a pretty gentle soul who is always there for others when they need her; Akemi and I both aspire to become medical ninjas. Next is Ami, now as a nine year old she has always spent her time applying make up on her dolls and even on our Baa-san! Ami attracts all the guys from her class at the Academy; they all describe her as, "the curly-haired brunette with captivating sea-green eyes". This is true; I am not going to lie about that. After Ami is Akira, the sister of Aito and Akemi, she has always been a light-hearted and a carefree individual. Akira is only seven years old and she tries to make clothing out of bed sheets and blankets, getting her into loads of trouble. She designs clothes for children and has decided that when she gets older, she wants to name her line of clothing, "ko". Even though Akira and Akemi are about two years apart, they look like twins. Both with silky black hair, and they pretty much have the same features except for the eyes. Akira's are brown and Akemi was born with hazel orbs. After Akira is the younger brother of Ichiro and Naomi, Jiro. When he was born, Jiro was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. Like Akira, he is also seven years old. Now just imagine a young child like my cousin has been hospitalized various times in his young life. He is a strong kid and everyone worries about him, but he tries to dismiss his condition and tries to live a happy life. He was actually born with a wide, muscular, and a rugged physique. His dark and spiky locks give him that "bad boy" look. After Jiro is my cousin Sora who has always loved to go to the dentist, she wants to specialize in this particular field; Sora is only six years old but boy she will never let this dream go, and I think with her determination, she will be able to achieve it. After Sora are her two sisters: Megumi and Pamera. I never really got to know those two but all I can say is, just by observing them, these two are both a little on the shy side. Although the three are sisters, they look absolutely nothing alike. Sora has always been a skinny minnie with long black hair and beady black eyes. Megumi was born with short light brown hair, big lips, and light skin. Their younger sister, Pamera has always been a big-boned girl with darker skin. It was nice spending time with everyone, we all became so close and I absolutely loved getting the attention because I was the youngest in our family at the time.

**Author's Note: **Ok, so I hope that you all likes the second chapter. This was just a little intro to Sakura's family and what her life as an infant was like. Please stay tuned for another chapter!!!

Oh also if you want to know the different meanings of everyone's names here is the list: (anything for my readers)

Takashi-reverence, filial piety, noble

Rina-the flower Jasmine

Shizuka-(_shizu)_ "quiet" combined with _夏__(ka)_ "summer" or _香__(ka)_ "smell, perfume".

Ichiro-first son

Akio-_昭__(aki)_ "bright" combined with _夫__(o)_ "husband, man", _男__(o)_ "male" or _雄__(o)_ "hero, manly".

Naomi-_直__(nao)_ "honest, straight" and _美__(mi)_ "beautiful".

Aito-Affection

Akemi-_明__(ake)_ "bright" and _美__(mi)_ "beautiful".

Ami-beautiful

Akira-"bright", _明_ "bright" or _亮_ "clear".

Jiro-_(ji)_ "two" and _郎__(rou)_ "son"...

Sora-Sky

Megumi-blessing

Pamera-Loving. Like honey, sweet


	3. Terrible Twos!

**Author's Note: **hey readers! Here is your loyal author speaking and I really hope you all like the story so far. Remember all of the OCs are all of the people I know in my life. I really want more reviews, in this way, I will be able to update faster. Please enjoy chapter 3!!!

**Chapter 3: Terrible Twos! **

Well I've already lived about two years of my life already and my first word ended up being "mama". How boring is that!? Even though I look pretty different from everyone else, my father had high hopes for me to say something more advanced like, "Hokage". My brother, Shin (who is about 10 months younger than I), was born gifted. As a one year old, Shin has been able to progress faster than I was able to in many daily activities. He has a lot more control of his chakra that I do, and my father plans to train him in a couple years to improve his natural talents. Even though we are brother and sister, Shin and I look nothing alike. We both have light skin, but both of our eye and hair color are completely different. I mean really, how in the world could we be related with my pink along with his dark brown hair and my green eyes along with his chocolate ones? Genetics is a subject which still remains a mystery to me; I think that my family's gene pool is screwed up somewhere. Speaking of _family _I continued to spend my time with both my grandparents and cousins. My younger cousin, Nami, was born six months after Shin. She and I spent so much time together since we saw each other every day. Nami looks a lot like her sister Ami with the very kinky curly hair; it actually almost makes them look like twins! My nightly crying stopped when I hit one years old, and ever since, I've been nothing but a complete angel. I was actually pretty quiet for a tot, and, I never destroyed anything I could get my little munchkin hands on. I think that this was instead my "terrific twos" stage. Not all of it was terrific, sure my behavior was ok but my health was not in the best of shape. As a two year old, I was an anemic. For those of you on the _slower _side, it means that I did not have enough iron in my blood. Why did I not have enough iron you might ask? It's because I was nothing but a milkoholic. I didn't even drink water, it was always milk this and milk that! My anemic state carried on to age three, and that was when everything became more serious or and even life-threatening. My skin became a sickly pale color, I had dark circles under my eyes, and my small body became frail and weak. My parents took me to get my blood tested and my doctor recommended me to have a blood transfusion. My father would not allow it, and miraculously, my health gradually improved. I learned to accept other healthy beverages and stayed away from milk for a while. Before I knew it, I was back to my normal self! I still remained shy and quiet, but to my family, all that mattered was that I got better and remained a healthy child.

**Author's Note: **Hope you all liked the third chapter! Now I know that this is a drama/romance fic and you were probably thinking that I did not incorporate that much drama. Well don't worry it will be, remember this is focusing on my life's ups and downs. It is going to have a bit of every genre in this fanfiction. I will update very very soon!!!

**Here are a couple of the names in this chapter with their meanings: **

**Shin-This name has so many different meanings because of the different characters:**

**真****, "true" **

**伸****, "extend" **

**新****, "new" **

**心****, "heart" **

**信****, "belief" **

**進****, "progress" **

**慎****, "humility" **

**晋****, "advance" **

**紳****, "gentleman"**

**Nami-Wave**


	4. Sensei

**Author's Note: **hello again! I don't understand no matter how much I've been trying to write, I still am not getting any reviews. I am telling you this, "The Diaries of Haruno Sakura: my life!" is going to be an amazing story, something which you will put on your favorites list!!! Enjoy Chapter 4!!!!

**Chapter 4: Sensei!**

**School**-An educational institution designed to increase the intellectual ability of your child.

Well that is the more _complicated _way of defining this term, but school is a way for children, like me, to explore their surroundings and make new friends.

My mother dressed me in a plaid skirt and a white polo imprinted with the traditional leaf symbol. She packed me an ideal lunch of a four year old: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crusts cut off, don't ask I have always liked them that way.

My mother and I were running late, so she ended up ignoring her housework temporarily to focus on getting me to school on time.

She took my hand and we ran down the village road ignoring the salesclerks and the other townsfolk. My small legs just couldn't take it! I have never run this much of a distance before and, instead, my mother ended up dragging me all the way to school.

There, we stopped in front of the building to catch our breath. I looked up and was a bit reluctant to enter the academy. The other night I overheard my father explaining to some co-workers that the "Academy of Konohagure" is one of the most prestigious institutions in the nation.

I looked around and discovered that the school was divided into four different buildings: the Primary, the Lower, the Middle, and the Upper schools. I snapped out of my reverie when I heard the bell ring and my mother looked at me and smiled, "Sakura today is your first day, now I want you to be good and enjoy yourself!" I smiled and said a simple, "Okay mom!" I hurried into the building and the first thing that struck me was all of the different colored banners that were hung up with large bold letters reading, "WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!"

I decided to follow everyone else into the large room where the other teachers were. They called out the names of the students in their homerooms. I sat in a desk waiting until my name was called; time seemed to go by slowly for me and my eyes were about to close shut until I heard, "Haruno Sakura! Is she here today?" I jerked my head up, approached my teacher, and smiled.

I studied his features; my eyes immediately looked up at his deep scar etched in the middle of his face. Then, I noticed his hunter green vest and his pockets were filled with different weapons which my father has used before.

I must have stared at him for so long that I started to notice the inquiring look he gave me. His warm brown eyes glistened when he smiled and said, "Hello there little one, I am your Iruka Sensei, please follow me".

**Author's Note: **Did you like it!? Please let me know!!! You may not like it now because its not the "good stuff" but trust me, right now I am just filling you all in on all of the background information! Love you all!!!

Sweetness


	5. First Time Student

**Author's Note**: Hello hello hello!!!! So right now I am focusing on Sakura's pre-school life and I think you will enjoy it! I hope you all like this next chapter!

**Chapter 5: First time Student!**

Iruka Sensei led our little group to his classroom, on the way; I noticed many old photos on the walls. They were all black and white, "_they must have been important figures in Konoha_" I thought. I was the last person in line observing every little thing from the details of the wooden corridors to the small black bows on my uniform shoes.

I watched as the line came to a halt when Iruka sensei held the door open for us. We all entered and looked around the classroom; it had large windows letting in more than enough light along with three desks per section. Then in the very front of the room was Iruka sensei's wooden desk which was in front of the blackboard.

"Alright students please take your seats!" ordered Sensei. I walked up slowly with only one seat left next to two other girls in the three-seated desk. I smiled shyly and sat down avoiding eye contact and listened to Iruka Sensei.

"Alright everyone welcome to the Academy! As you all know, I am your Iruka Sensei. Now as a student you will not only be required to learn subjects like math and English, but you will also be learning different techniques as a ninja".

The word _ninja_ got me to pay more attention, "_Why do we have to train to become ninja at such a young age!? Aren't you supposed to become a ninja when you are around father's age?"_

As if reading my mind, he said, "I know what you may be thinking, that you are all too young to train. It is going to help all of you develop skills which will stay with you for the rest of your lives, and the earlier you start, the faster you will advance in your skills and techniques".

Iruka Sensei stopped his lecturing, turned to the board, and started to write numbers. _"Oh great, math", _I thought. Sensei taught us various things from addition to some simple multiplication. I was surprised that the concept came pretty easy to me. I volunteered to go up to the board and solve the problem: 45 + 5

I thought inquisitively and quickly analyzed the problem, "_Well lets see….I know that if I add 5 and 5 together, the answer is 10. Now Iruka Sensei said something about "carrying over" the number. So I leave the 0 and carry over the 1, and 1+4 is 5! So, 45 + 5=50!_

"Iruka Sensei, the answer is 50", I confidently proclaimed.

"Very good Sakura! Everyone lets give her a round of applause".

Suddenly loud claps were heard, but by the look of everyone else's faces, they didn't seem to care. As the clapping died down, the bell rang and Sensei sent us out of the classroom to eat lunch.

As I was about to leave for the bathroom to wash my dusty hands, Iruka Sensei stopped me and said, "Sakura, you did very well in math today. You were the only one who was actively participating today; I hope you keep things up!"

I smiled and said a simple, "Thank you", and left.

**Author's Note: **I hope you all liked this chapter, and do not worry the next chapter is coming soon!!!

Sweetness


	6. A New Friend

**Author's Note: **Seriously people, I _need_ reviews please!!!!! Why not give it a chance? It's pretty good! Speaking of good, here is chapter 5, I hope you like it!

**Chapter 5: A New Friend**

I scrubbed my hands clean, grabbed my lunch, and headed outside. It sure was a beautiful day; my thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a large cherry blossom tree.

I decided to sit peacefully underneath the shade to avoid getting sunburned. I opened my brown paper bag and savored the sweet and buttery goodness of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Suddenly I heard footsteps coming towards me; I looked up and saw a girl smiling timidly. "Do….do you mind if I sit and have lunch with you?" she asked.

I smiled and said, "Sure."

I mean why would I want to say no? It's nice to have company!

We both sat peacefully and I watched as she too munched on her delectable PB&J sandwich.

"So, you like PB&J also?" I asked.

The girl laughed," I've always loved them, I love the taste of something really sweet like jelly combined with something a little crunchy like Peanut Butter, they are a perfect match!"

I smiled and caught a bright sparkled hanging from her white polo, it was her necklace. It had a silver chain with an intricate charm in the shape of a rain drop.

"I like your necklace…." I said after sipping my drink.

"Thank you, my grandmother gave it to me before I moved to Konoha".

"Why did you move?" I asked

The girl sighed and fiddled with a blade of grass, "My father got an offer to come and work here, besides, and he also said that Konoha is well-known for their school systems".

There was a long silence between the two of us, which made the atmosphere a bit awkward.

I noticed that the silver chain really complemented features. Although they were nothing like mine (she should be very lucky for that), it made the girl's ordinary brown hair and eyes look more appealing.

Deciding to break the silence, the girl said, "Oh! I forgot to introduce myself didn't I? Well my name is Kimiko, Mitsuki Kimiko. You're the girl who went up and solved Iruka Sensei's problem up on the board! What was your name again? Sakumo? Sachiko? Sa-

"It's Sakura, Haruno Sakura". I cut in.

She smiled, "Oh, well nice to meet you Sakura so did you like today's lesson?"

I thought about it and said, "Its not that I _like _it, I just found it pretty easy, that's all…."

Kimiko nodded and heard the bell ring; Kimiko and I followed the other students inside.

We arrived in the classroom and I was walking to my original spot from this morning until I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

I turned around and faced Kimiko who grinned and asked me something which made my whole day, "Sit with me?"

My face brightened up and I sat next to her for the rest of the day; I was truly happy because I made a new friend…..


	7. Ninja Training!

**Author's Note: **sorry it's been a while!!!! I've been busy but here is chapter 7!!! Please enjoy it!!!!!

**Chapter 7: ninja training!**

"Alright everyone! Why don't we all go outside and train?" asked Iruka Sensei.

You would have thought that because it's close to the end of the day, that everyone else would be too tired to train. I was surprised to see them all running out of the building.

I walked alongside Kimiko in a comforting silence until she spoke up and asked, "Sakura, are you excited for ninja training?"

I thought about it for a minute and said,"Well I've never really been interested in being a ninja. I have always spent my time helping my mother with the garden; my interest has always been in flowers not fighting".

Kimiko nodded and we arrived at the school training ground.

As soon as we got there, the first thing I saw was a crowd of the entire male population crowding around Iruka Sensei, begging him for weapons to throw around.

"Calm down everyone _please_. Being a ninja is something much more than just throwing weapons of all sorts! As you all grow, you will learn the true meaning of being a ninja. Now the first task is a _trust _exercise". Explained Sensei

Suddenly outbursts of complaints were heard.

"Are you kidding me!?"

"What kind of a teacher are you!?"

"What does _trust _have to do with being a ninja!?"

Sensei was trying his best to calm himself, but you could tell that his patience was thinning. It was only the first day; imagine what's going to happen the rest of the year!

"That is a very good question Kiba. Trust comes in when a group of ninja are working together. When you become a ninja, you will be faced with life and death situations. You will have to be able to rely upon each other, and in this way, you will be successful. Anyway, you should be familiar with the term. Doesn't your clan rely and trust your own canine companions?"

Kiba was stumped when given the question, all he did was nod.

I observed him carefully. Kiba was actually quite cute for a four year old; his tanned skin complemented his gelled dark brown hair. The first thing that caught my eye when I looked at him were his red markings on both sides of his face. He looked pretty familiar, and that's when it hit me! He was the troublemaker who tried to sneak his puppy in his jacket during lunch.

I heard my father one night talking to my mother about an _Inuzuka _joining his squad a couple days before. He said that the new member brought along his dog to sniff out traces of evidence which a human would never be able to find.

The way my father described this mysterious guy reminded me of Kiba. I remember when he said that the red markings on the face are recognized by canines of all kind; it was like some sort of an inherited trait of their clan.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Sensei yell, "Find a partner!" I suddenly felt a tug at my hand, and that's when I looked and saw Kimiko smiling at me.

"Now everyone lets begin with activity #1: the falling exercise. One partner will be blindfolded while the other has to catch them, it's pretty simple and it will also help to form that trust in each of you. I want you all to take turns with your partner, now go!"

"Kimiko do you want to go first?" I asked.

"Sure!" She excitedely said.

She stood right in front of me and I placed the blindfold over her eyes. I moved a bit away from her and ordered, "Ok, fall".

It was something easier said than done, and I watched Kimiko's face suddenly change.

I couldn't get her to fall back, "_What could she possibly be afraid of?_" I thought.

"Kimiko whats wrong?"

She turned around to face the direction of my voice and her radiant smile faded.

I looked carefully at her Sunkist face and spotted something clear rolling down her cheek, it was a tear.

"Why are you crying?"

She wiped her cheek off and removed her blindfold, "Sakura, I……….I don't know if I can trust you".

What was I feeling when she said that to me? Even though I only knew her for about a day, it hurt a little…. Suddenly I found myself about to tear up.

"W-Why can't you trust me?" I asked trying my very best not to get too upset.

"It's just that my one true friend I had in the rain village was not the person I thought she was…."

"What do you mean?" I asked trying not to pry into her personal life.

"Well, I thought that everything was going well with her but she left me for another group of girls….."

I felt so sorry for Kimiko at that point, and I just wasn't so sure what to say.

To assure kimiko, I put my hand on her shoulder and smiled, "Kimiko, just because she left you doesn't mean that I will. I remain your friend even if I also find new ones; you have a special place in my heart because I will always remember you as my first friend".

Kimiko paused, gave me her signature smile, and put the blindfold over her eyes.

"Now Kimiko when I count to 3, I want you to trust me and fall".

"1……….2……………………………3"

I saw Kimiko put her weight on her heels and then, she let her self go. I quickly placed my arms behind her, and thankfully, her head did not hit the ground.

Kimiko quickly stood up, untied her blindfold, and gave me a heartwarming hug.

"Thank you Sakura, and from now on, I will trust you! You are my first true friend also, now it's your turn!"

I had no problem with falling; if Kimiko trusted me then I was going to trust her.

She caught me and we both smiled at each other.

I looked around and saw Kiba and another boy with dark shades, he looked pretty mysterious. Those two, and every other boy in the class, did not take this activity seriously for that matter.

"Kiba!!!!!! Why can't you just catch me, its not that hard!! I don't trust you, you know". Yelled the mysterious boy.

Kiba smirked, "lighten up Shino it's just a joke, why can't you learn to lighten up a little?"

Shino……I've heard that name. Oh that's right! He's the one who sits by himself in the corner of the classroom who doesn't say anything. Although during science, he seemed to be well-informed about bugs of all sorts. Now I know, he is of the Aburame clan! He knows about bugs because the Aburame's have the ability to control them.

Well the guy was dressed in a smaller version of a trench coat and he wore sunglasses….I wonder what he actually looks like…..By the looks of his eyebrows, they were arched, signaling that he was pretty angry about Kiba's shenanigans.

Well who could blame the guy!?, I mean why would someone trust Kiba? He just doesn't take things seriously!

I turned my attention to Iruka Sensei, and boy was he frustrated!

"Boys, you realize that if you cannot complete any of these basic tasks then you won't be able to use actual weapons when you get into the third grade".

Kiba's mouth was wide open, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I thought you said that we could do that stuff now!?"

Sensei smirked, "Now when I said _training_ I meant the stuff that kids your age will be able to accomplish without getting yourselves killed".

Kiba started to complain and threw plenty of temper tantrums. Sensei dragged him to the principal's office and gave us the permission to leave for the day.

I quickly packed my things and headed out, apparently Kimiko's house was on the way so she walked with me.

"So what did you think of the trust exercises?" I asked

"Well, I enjoyed it! You know I think we should be partners for the rest of the year, because you are the only one I trust out of everyone else".

I smiled until I heard Kimiko suddenly gasp.

"Oh I forgot, my parents are having my grandparents over and they expect me to be there a little earlier today!! I gotta run!!! I'll see you tomorrow Sakura!"

"Okay, by Kimiko!"

I watched her run to her house, after Kimiko's figure was out of my sight; I started to enjoy the crisp autumn air around me.

I arrived at my house and before I entered, I thought, "_I think we have already developed a bond, and I have a feeling its going to get stronger….."_

**Author's Note: **Did you like this chapter? I personally did 

Well, stay tuned for chapter 8, I need more reviews people!!!


	8. My Mother's Tale

**Author's Note: **Alright everyone!!! I need more reviews; I only have about 2 so far! I'm not getting anywhere with only 2 reviews! Anyway here is chapter 8!!!!

**Chapter 8: My Mother's Tale**

I walked inside the house, and the first thing my senses picked up on was the fresh aroma coming from the kitchen.

"_mmmmm…..mom's cooking….."_ I thought.

"Hello mother!" I said cheerfully while giving her a hug.

"Oh Sakura, how was your first day of school!?" She excitedley asked.

"It was a lot of fun!"

Suddenly I found myself being bombarded with questions

"Who was your teacher?"

"Iruka Sensei"

I saw my mother smiling as soon as I spoke his name.

"Ahhhh….Umino Iruka".

My eyebrows raised, signaling for her to explain.

My mother giggled, "I used to know him when I was younger. I remember him perfectly well: so loud and cocky. He thought that he was going to become Hokage someday".

"Well, why didn't he?"

My mother thought about it for a minute or so, "Well I remember that when we were in our twenties, Iruka was requested to watch a class for one of the other academy teachers at the time: Morino Ibiki. He was gone on a mission for about a week, and somehow, Iruka became attached to all of the kids. He wanted to show them "the best of the best" ninja techniques so that when his students grew up, they too would become successful ninja. What better way to share your knowledge than to become a teacher? It's been such a long time since I've seen him….what is he like Sakura?"

"Well, he is the complete opposite of the way you described him when he was younger. Iruka Sensei is such a sweet man and he goes out of his way to make sure that we are all doing well in his class. Not only is he sweet, but he disciplines us very well and keeps us on task".

My mother sighed and I watched as her arms fell while sitting down, thinking about something.

I put my backpack down and walked over to her, "Mom what's wrong?"

She plastered on a fake smile, but I could see right through it.

"Mother, why did you ask me about him all of a sudden? Were you friends with Sensei?"

My mother looked up at me and sighed, "Yes, yes we were…."

"_Were….meaning in the past, so they're not friends now?" _ I suddenly thought to myself.

"Well, W-What happened?"

"Sakura, I just don't think you'll understand…."

I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her; I looked into my mother's identical green eyes and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Of course I'll understand mom, trust me, for a little kid I know about a lot of things".

I quickly grabbed a chair, sat down, and watched my mother gather her thoughts together.

"Well sweetheart, when I was younger I cared for your sensei a lot. When I say the word _care_ I mean……….. as more than a friend".

My eyes grew wide, and my mouth hung open, "Wait you mean, you had a c-crush on sensei!?"

My mother's mood grew a bit darker when I asked that question, "No honey, crush wasn't even the right word to explain how I felt about your Iruka Sensei. It was more like………….love……."

Right then and there, I was shocked.

"Well if you loved him so much, then why did you marry father?" I asked, trying not to sound too nosy.

I watched my mother try to choke back her tears, "W-Well, one night we both got together for dinner and I brought up the subject of the both of us and marriage. I could tell by the way Iruka was looking at me, that he didn't want to hurt my feelings. He told me that marriage would just tie him down from his duties as a ninja. I told him that every other man in this village was able to perform his duties to both his village and his family. Instead he just told me no and walked off….ever since, I have been nothing but an emotional wreck".

By the looks of it, my mother was trying to distract herself by chopping up more herbs and finish dinner

"D-Do you love f-father?" I hesitantly asked.

My mother turned around and smiled, "Of course I do sweety! I will always love your father".

"Wait, then what about Sensei?"

"Sakura, Iruka sensei and your father both have special places in my heart. Even though I love your father very much, his love will never be able to fill the hole which I had for your Iruka Sensei".

My head subconsciously fell and a tear rolled down my cheek, I quickly tried to wipe it away but it did not go unnoticed by my mother.

She walked over to me and bent down so her eyes could meet mine; she stroked my head and soothed me with her calming words.

"Sweetheart please, please do not weep for me. Your father and I are happily married with a beautiful daughter living alongside us. Even though it was painful, love is also a beautiful thing; you will find out once it happens to you".

I smiled to ensure my mother that I was ok and watched as she finished dinner and set the table.

"Now, who wants miso soup?"

"_No wonder it smelled so good in here! I love miso soup!_"

I immediately ran to the table and took my seat, "I do!"

My mother poured the steamy hot soup into my bowl, and I dug in quickly.

As I tasted the mouthwatering liquid, the fresh herbs made it all the more enjoyable. The flavor of the meat really brought out its true flavors, and because I loved it so much, I had about three helpings!

While my mother and I were enjoying dinner in the comfort of our own home, we suddenly heard the door open. I turned around, where the crisp autumn breeze blew in, and saw my father standing there looking at my mother.

I turned around and saw her smiling; she left her food on the table and ran to my father.

"Ahhhh Takashi you're finally home! I've missed you!" cried my mother.

I watched as my father's serious face lightened up at the sight of his wife, "I missed you too my dear….ahhh hello sakura!"

I left my seat, approached my father, and gave him a hug.

"Takashi, I made your favorite, miso soup".

Both my parents walked in and I decided to leave the kitchen to give them some alone time.

I walked up the stairs and snuck a little peek at the two of them.

There they were sitting across from each other, talking about how both of their days went. I looked at both of their eyes; I couldn't describe what I saw. The way that they were looking at each other, it was like they had some sort of a deep connection.

I looked at the clock and I quickly took a shower and changed my clothes. I went back to the stairwell to check up on my parents. They hadn't moved an inch; they were both still oblivious to everything besides each other.

I smiled, "_I'm glad she found happiness, love really is a beautiful thing…._"

**Author's Note: **That's Chapter 8!!! I know interesting right? Which is why you should keep reading and reviewing!!! Chapter 9 is coming soon!!!

Sweetness


	9. Akamaru's Escape!

**Author's Note: **Yay!!!! I actually got more reviews!!!! I want to give a special thanks to Shizuka Taiyou who seems to be a real big fan of my story and I hope you keep on reading Shizuka, because its going to get better and better from here on out! Here's Chapter 9!!!

**Chapter 9: Akamaru's Escape!**

Well it's been about 2 months since school has started and, come to think of it, I am really enjoying my classes!

Ever since mother told me the story about Iruka Sensei, I started to pay more attention to him. I noticed that both of them are kind, caring, fun, and outgoing people. When I really thought about it, both Iruka Sensei and my mom wouldn't make as good of a couple then my parents would.

Why you may ask? If they ended up together, it would be like two immature children marrying each other. My mother needed an adult in her life, and who did she get?

My father.

Like they all say, opposites attract!

My mom has always been this fun-loving and carefree woman who, somehow, attracted my dad.

Haruno Takashi on the other hand, has always been a workaholic.

I find him a bit boring; he's usually very quiet and mostly opens up to my mother.

If I had absolutely no relation to him, I would say that he's the "mysterious type".

Who would have thought that my mom, who was known as Rambunctious Rina, fell in love with a man who is nothing like her?

I'll never understand love.

Anyway, it was the month of November and the weather started to get a little bit cooler.

I woke up, got dressed, and walked downstairs finding both my father and brother sitting at the table waiting for their breakfast.

For a three year old, Shin is sure an early riser.

"Good Morning Sakura!"

"Morning mom".

Everyone could hear a loud grumbling sound, and where did it come from?

My stomach of course.

My mother laughed, "I knew you would be hungry, so I made your breakfast ahead of time! Here you go Saku!"

My plate was filled with sunny side up eggs, French toast, and a glass of orange juice.

My stomach sure was satisfied after eating my mother's cooking!

My father finished his food, put the plate into the dishwasher, and turned to my mother, "Rina, are we doing anything this weekend?"

This caught my attention, I wanted to do something fun for once.

"Hmmmm….No, I didn't make any plans yet, why?" She asked curiously.

My father approached her and smirked, "Well I know that Shin can't go to the Academy yet because of his age, but I don't want him just sitting at home and watching cartoons all day either".

My mother temporarily stopped cleaning Shin's face, "What are you suggesting Takashi?"

"I'm saying that I would like to start some basic training with Shin".

My mother's face become shocked, which wasn't the reaction I was expecting, "Why now? What kind of training? It _better _not be something dangerous!"

To get mom to calm down, dad gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "Relax Rina-koi, I just want him to gradually pick up on ways to control his chakra. He will progress much faster because he is a gifted child".

After he said that, my face fell. Why was it always about Shin? Just because I'm not gifted, it doesn't mean that I can't start up my training with father!

My facial expression did not go unnoticed by my parents; I felt a large hand on my shoulder, "Sakura, I want to train _both _of you. I didn't want to train you at Shin's age because your chakra was developing at a slower pace than his. Now, you both are on the same level and on Saturday I will train the both of you, ok?"

I nodded and said a simple, "Ok, thank you dad".

My mother suddenly tapped me on the shoulder, "Sakura, you better run and get to school before you get in trouble! Here's your lunch and backpack, run along now sweetheart".

I kissed my parents good bye and went on my way.

As I walked to school, it was pretty quiet this morning.

I observed all of the trees as they changed different colors; it's just amazing how nature works. I mean the colors are just so……..eye catching!

Finally, I approached the school and heard the bell ring.

I ran to homeroom and, thankfully, Iruka Sensei did not count me late.

I put my lunch in my cubby and walked to my seat next to Kimiko.

She smiled, "Hey Sakura! How is everything?"

"Everything has been great Kimiko, how about you?"

"Really exciting! Guess what! My grandparents are going to come every month to visit!"

"That's great Kimiko! I'm really happy for you".

"Yeah, maybe I can introduce you to them!"

"Sure, maybe".

Iruka Sensei clapped to get our attention, "Now Everyone here are 2 worksheets: The first one is a set of math problems and the second, is for you to practice your handwriting by copying the sentences written above. While doing these drills, I want absolute silence. Now please begin!"

I first looked at my math worksheet, "_hmmm……all addition, this is going to be easy…"_

In fact I was right, Iruka Sensei has prepared us for the past couple months. The worksheet consisted of problems like:

1 + 1

5 + 10

20 + 3

50 + 20

I was able to get that done, next was the English worksheet.

"_Ok, what do we have here?"_

Sentence #1: I walked the dog**.**

I positioned my pencil correctly, and started to copy the sentence:

**I walked the dog.**

I finished the English worksheet and waited a couple minutes for the others to finish.

"Are we all done?" asked Sensei.

"Yes…" declared everyone.

"Ok, for the math I want you to switch papers with the person next to you so we can all check the answers, I will read them to you".

Who else would I have chosen to switch with? As usual, Kimiko and I picked each other.

I grabbed her paper, and by the looks of it, her answers seemed correct.

As Sensei read the answers, I took a peek at my paper and I ended up getting all of them right!

I finished checking Kimiko's answers, "Here you go Kimiko, good job".

She took the worksheet from my hand and her face fell, "What? I got a couple wrong? I was sure that I got them all right!"

I looked at the wrong answers and checked them for her, "for some of them, I think you were rushing and you ended up adding incorrectly when you carried some of the numbers over. It's ok, I was like that the first week, you'll get it soon".

As we passed in our papers to Iruka Sensei, Kimiko said, "Thanks Sakura".

It was snack time and today's special snack was, of course, cookies and milk.

Why should I complain though? I love cookies and milk!

We all finished our snacks and prepared for the next segment of the day, History.

"Ok, now that we know the geography of each different nation, can anyone tell me the names of the first four Hokages?"

There was absolutely no answer.

"I guess we should go over them, ok so there have been total 4 Hokages":

Hashimira Senju…….

"Haha!!!!"

Suddenly everyone turned around, and as predicted, it was Kiba.

"Is there something that you would like to share with the class Kiba?"

"Uhhhh….no sir!"

Sensei gave him a suspicious look and went back to lecturing.

"The second Hokage was Tobimira Senju".

"Haha! S-Stop it Aka-"

It looks like this was the final straw for Inuzuka Kiba….

Iruka Sensei stopped writing on the board and faced Kiba, "Inuzuka Kiba, what do you think you're doing!? You know what? I won't even let you explain this time…"

"B-But Sensei, it wasn't my fault!"

"No Buts Inuzuka, Shino why don't you switch places with Sakura?"

Now it was Shino's turn to complain.

"What!? Iruka Sensei you can't be serious! I didn't do anything!"

"I know but I figured if Kiba doesn't have a friend sitting with him, he'll calm down a bit, now switch with Sakura please".

I was reluctant to move, but what other choice did I have? I quickly picked up my things and moved to the back of the room.

"Hey Pinky…." Sneered Kiba.

"Quiet Dog breath" I said back to him.

5 minutes passed and thankfully Kiba stayed quiet for me to concentrate until I saw something moving in his backpack….

My eyes grew wide and I was afraid of what was in there.

"K-Kiba, w-what is t-that?"

"Alright you promise you won't tell?"

I sighed, "I promise…."

He leaned in closer to me and whispered, "My dog, Akamaru…."

"What are you crazy? You can't bring a _dog_! He'll kick you out for sure!" I hissed at him.

Kiba wasn't at all affected by what I said, instead, he just smirked at me.

"They won't kick me out! If I _sneak _Akamaru in, he'll never know".

Suddenly Iruka Sensei stopped writing on the board and made an announcement.

"All right everyone, let's move on to Science. I thought that instead of being cooped up in here, why don't we have a little nature walk outside? Just leave your stuff here and follow me out the door".

We all arrived outside and Iruka Sensei took us around the school grounds, who knew that we had so much wildlife here in Konoha?

We were out for about 15 minutes and after walking around campus, he asked us each what our favorite part of our walk was.

All of the girls loved the flowers, and the boys enjoyed fantasizing about getting down and dirty in the mud.

"Alright everyone its lunchtime so go ahead and enjoy the weather while eating!"

I walked back inside the classroom, got my lunch, and put my papers back into my bag. When I got to my seat, Kiba was panicking.

"Oh no!!!!!"

"Whats wrong Kiba?"

"Ummmm…..Akamaru is missing….."

"What!? See I told you that bringing him here wasn't a good idea! Why can't you just follow the rules for once!"

Kiba covered my mouth, "Sakura keep quiet! If Iruka Sensei finds out, I'm doomed!"

I removed his hand from my mouth, "Wait your saying neither of us should go and tell Iruka Sensei?"

"Of course not! If we do, then I will be expelled for sure!"

"Well I'm going for lunch, see you later".

I approached the doorway until dog boy quickly blocked my way, "Kiba! What's your problem? I'm hungry and I want to go to lunch".

"W-Wait, Sakura I need your help!"

"Why should you ask _me _for help? You got yourself into this mess and I'm sure you can get out of it".

"Please Sakura, I promise I won't be a jerk anymore……"

You know somehow, I didn't believe that, but my conscience told me to be a good person and help him out. Maybe someday, he would thank me for this.

"Alright Kiba, I'll help…."

He flashed me a grin, "Great! I knew you wouldn't let me down! Now do you think you'd want to talk about the plan at recess?"

I agreed, "Sure".


	10. Operation: Dog Catcher!

**Author's Note:** So I don't know about you, but I am really liking this story so far. I want to give a special thanks to Shizuka and CrushinSammy girl for supporting me. I need more reviews, they don't have to be all good things. I would like a bit of criticism as well. Just tell me what I could do better, anyway, Here is Chapter 10!!!!!

**Chapter 10- Operation: Dog Catcher!**

I walked out of the classroom and met Kimiko outside; we sat down in our usual spot under the Cherry Blossom tree.

"Sakura, what took you so long?" Kimiko curiously asked me.

I shrugged, "Oh, I was just packing my stuff, getting my lunch, talking to Kiba-"

"Why were you talking to Kiba!?" She cut in while making a disgusted face.

I sat down and opened my bag filled with today's special meal: a cold cut turkey sandwich, "Oh well he was the only other person in the classroom, so I asked him about some stuff we did in class…."

Kimiko eyed me suspiciously but forgot about it and went back to eating her lunch.

Well why would I bother telling Kimiko? Not to be rude, but she does talk a lot and she ends up telling sensei everything. It's best if I just keep this little secret to myself.

I finished my lunch and walked away until Kimiko stopped me, "Where are you going? I thought we were going to the playground together for recess today?"

I stopped dead in my tracks realizing that I made a plan to go to the playground today, "W-Well…….I……..need to go to the bathroom…..and then go see Iruka Sensei about something. Why don't you go on ahead without me?"

Kimiko stood up and was on her way to the swing sets, "Sure! See ya in a bit!"

I was relieved….I quickly ran all over trying to find Kiba.

I searched everywhere, I was about to pass one of the large oak trees when a hand caught me.

I sighed, "There you are! I've been looking all over for you".

Kiba let go of my hand, "Sorry about that, I had to tell Shino that I had something to do".

I looked around the school grounds, "Listen, everyone is going to get suspicious if they see us together, and I told Kimiko that I had to go to the bathroom and see Iruka Sensei. Why don't we discuss the plan inside?"

Kiba shrugged, "Alright…let's go".

We casually walked inside and searched the hallways for a safe area.

Finally, I found the perfect spot, "Kiba, in here!"

Kiba just looked at me, dumbfounded, "You expect me to hide in a Janitor's closet?"

I nodded, "Yes, this is the only place I could find. We obviously can't go into the classroom without a teacher in there, so I just picked here instead".

We both entered, and it was so dark that we couldn't see a thing!

Suddenly I could see something dangling from the ceiling; it looked like a light switch of some sort. I stretched my hand out, but I was too short to reach it.

"Kiba! Help me up!"

"Help you up!?"

"Yes, I mean let me climb on your shoulders!"

Of course I knew he would refuse, "No way! With your weight, you'd crush me!"

I tried my best to keep calm, "Look, do you want to find Akamaru or not? If you keep this up, then we can forget about looking for him. Then you can get expelled from one of Konoha's most prestigious institutions, bringing nothing but shame to your family name".

I knew after that little spiel, he would have no choice but to agree, "Alright fine, but only for Akamaru".

Kiba bent down so I could get on him, by the looks of it, we looked like we were in a piggy back position.

I stretched my body up and looked carefully for the dangling string.

I saw something moving, "Kiba move a little over to the left".

I could feel my position shifting a little bit; I stretched my arm out as far as I could and was able to reach for the string.

I pulled the string and the room was lit up, well not all that much though, it was pretty dim.

"Could you get off of me now?" Complained Kiba.

"Ya ya ya….." I said.

"Ok Sakura before we think of the plan, there is something I need to show you first…."

I eyed him curiously as he took out something from his backpack, it was a map!

"Why do you have a map of the school?"

He smirked, "That's for me to know and for you to never find out…"

"Now anyway, I marked all of the secret rooms in this building…."

I was astonished, "Our school has _secret _rooms? What could they possibly be used for?"

"How should I know? Anyway, our first task should be…….thinking of codenames".

"Kiba, we are students at a school not secret agents…."

"Well that's the point Sakura! Technically, we are on a _secret _mission. Just think, this will also give us practice for when we get older. As a full-fledged ninja, you get to do all of this stuff!"

I sighed, "I guess you're right…."

Kiba grinned, "You know very well that I am! Now I think I should be…………"

"Dog breath" I laughed.

He pouted, "Not funny Pinky……"

"You know what? I think I'll call myself fang!"

"Alright then Kiba-"

He raised a finger at me, "No Pinky, get used to calling me Fang".

"Alright then _Fang_, what about me?"

Kiba thought about it for a moment, "Hmmmm…..is Pinky ok with you?"

I shrugged, "Well there's nothing better I can come up with, so Pinky is ok".

Kiba gave me one of his walkie talkies, boy was this guy prepared…..

I eyed him curiously, "What do we need these for?"

He sighed, "To talk to each other of course!"

Dog boy grinned, "Alright now that we've gotten our code names down, lets focus on where we are going to be searching for Akamaru".

I stopped him, "Wait a minute, we're getting too far ahead of ourselves….what about Iruka Sensei? We have class with him this afternoon don't we?"

Kiba's confident demeanor still remained strong, "Which is why I found out during snack time today that Sensei is leaving right after recess for an important conference this afternoon".

I grew frustrated, "So what if Sensei is leaving? What about the substitute!?"

"The substitute is _Mizuki_, we will be able to get away with it".

Still I was persistent to question him, "What makes you so sure that this Mizuki will let us get away with it".

Kiba folded his arms, "Because every time Sensei sends me to detention, Mizuki is always the guy who ends up watching me. Let me tell you, he is such a _push over_! He'll let you do anything! So all we have to say to him is that Iruka Sensei requested that we have another nature walk this afternoon. That way everyone else gets to do what they want, and we can go back inside the building and search for Akamaru!"

You would think that this guy actually uses his brains for class……

I was pretty much impressed at this point, "Okay, now that we have that covered let's talk about the possible rooms Akamaru could be in".

I watched as Kiba laid out his map under the dim light, "Ok Pinky so the good thing is that there aren't that many floors here. We just need to worry about any rooms which maybe open….."

I thought about it for a minute, "Well, when we left for our walk, all of the classroom doors were closed. I don't think any room was open at the time".

Suddenly Kiba looked like he had some sort of an epiphany, "Wait! Before we went for our nature walk, Iruka Sensei walked into the-"

I knew what was coming, "D-Don't tell me!"

"Teacher's Lounge" He finished.

The bell rang and both of us headed back to class. Everyone sat in their seats and waited for the substitute to show up.

We heard the door open and watched as a tall man with long gray hair, wearing a black vest with black pants to go along with it, entered the room.

He sat down in Iruka Sensei's desk and smiled, "Hello everyone! As you all know Iruka Sensei is not here today. My name is Mizuki and your Sensei wanted you all to complete a couple of worksheets, and I will pass them out to you".

As Mizuki passed the worksheets out, I saw Kiba raise his hand, "Mizuki Sensei, Iruka Sensei actually wanted us to…..take a nature walk".

Mizuki eyed him suspiciously, "Are you sure Kiba? Why would he want you to take a nature walk anyway and what about these worksheets?"

Kiba laid back in his chair while putting his arms behind his head, "Relax, one question at a time Mizuki Sensei! Iruka Sensei meant to give us the worksheets tomorrow and he would want us to take a nature walk so we can…….ehhh……explore our surroundings, and yes I am _very_ sure about this".

Mizuki shrugged, "Well, if that's what Iruka wanted…..ok everyone you may go outside!"

It looked to me like everyone was dying to get out of their seats; they all practically ran out of the building doing who knows what!

Kiba and I ran the opposite direction and went in search of Akamaru. I looked on the main floor and Kiba searched upstairs.

"_Ok……if I were a dog, where would I possibly be hiding?" _I thought.

I checked the bathrooms, classrooms, and closets but this dog was just too hard to find!

"**Pinky….earth to Pinky can you hear me?**"

I picked up my walkie talkie, "**Yes Fang, I can hear you…."**

"**Any sign of Akamaru yet?"**

"**No sign of him on the main floor, how about upstairs?"**

"**Nope…."**

I turned off my walkie talkie and continued to search for the said dog.

I snuck a peek at the teacher's lounge but I didn't see anything, I walked away until I heard a soft whimpering sound.

"_That must be Akamaru!"_

Thankfully, all of the other teachers were at a conference today and only my class was in session. I went inside the room and it was nicely decorated with pastel green walls and flower pots.

"Akamaru? Are you there?"

The whimpering grew louder, "_I must be close…_"

I checked every room in this lounge, and all that was left, was the kitchen.

"_Let's see if I were a dog, what in a kitchen could possibly interest me?_"

"Akamaru? You there boy?"

The whimpering sounded muffled, like he was inside something…..

I checked the pantry and all of the cabinets.

I started to get frustrated, "_Where is he!?_"

Then, a light bulb appeared over my head, "_The refrigerator! How could I forget!?_"

I ran over the fridge, opened it, and saw a little fur ball smack dab in the middle.

"Akamaru?"

Suddenly the fur ball uncurled itself, and Akamaru wagged his tail.

"There you are! Kiba has been looking all over for you! Let's go".

I know, isn't it strange that I was talking to a dog? Anway, I grabbed Akamaru and put him in my backpack. I walked around until I found Kiba walking down the stairs, "Hey Sakura, have you found him yet?"

Looks like his question was already answered when he saw something moving in my bag.

"Akamaru!!! I've been looking all over for you boy! Don't scare me like that again! Where did you find him Sakura?"

I smiled at the sight of Kiba comforting his dog, "You were actually right, he was in the teacher's lounge. It was a bit strange how Akamaru was trapped in the fridge".

Kiba was shocked, "What!? The _fridge!? _I don't even want to know how he got in there. Anyway, thanks Sakura. I couldn't have done it without you".

I shook his hand, "Anytime…"

Kiba grinned, "Operation: Dog Catcher is finally complete!"

**Author's Note: **Finally done with this chapter!!! It took me forever! So I hope you all liked it, I hope you all review some more! Chapter 11 is coming soon!!!!

Sweetness


	11. Tea Party!

**Author's Note: **Hey Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying this story so far, and thanks again Shizuka Taiyou and especially CrushinSammygirl! You guys are like my biggest fans, and for anyone else who is reading this story, could you spread the word that "The Diaries of Haruno Sakura: my life!" is an amazing story! Now get ready for Chapter 11!

**Chapter 11: Tea Party!**

Well, it's been about a week since the incident with Akamaru.

Iruka Sensei came back from his conference, and he gave us a confused look when we told him that we went on a nature walk.

He left the classroom to talk to Mizuki.

Sensei also found out that Kiba has been getting away with all sorts of stuff in detention, which made the situation a lot worse.

There are rumors that he yelled at him and Iruka Sensei brought the third Hokage into this mess….

Although the third is genuinely a nice guy, he felt it was better for the students that they needed more discipline. Apparently Mizuki did not "fit" that description.

I had no idea that Mizuki and Iruka Sensei have been friends since childhood; this whole thing is jeopardizing their friendship.

Sarutobi Sama had no choice but to fire the guy.

I did feel sorry for Mizuki, but he didn't do his job. As a teacher, you should probably know the consequences for listening to a bunch of children. _Especially_ if that someone is Kiba for that matter….

Speaking of _Kiba_, Iruka Sensei found out that he was the one who initiated this whole thing. Even though he knew that dog boy raised his hand and told Mizuki that we needed to go on a nature walk, he gave _all _of us detention.

Since I got detention, I spent my _entire _Friday afternoon cleaning the school.

Of course Sensei sent all of the parents letters about what happened, and I came home that day with disappointed looks on my parents' faces.

I got a 10 minute long lecture on how they never expected me to do this kind of thing, and that I should never fall into peer pressure.

On the outside, I looked like I was intently listening and nodding at the appropriate places. Inside my mind, I just tuned them out and thought about what Kiba said that day, _"Well that's the point Sakura! Technically, we are on a secret mission. Just think, this will also give us practice for when we get older. As a full-fledged ninja, you get to do all of this stuff!"_

Surprisingly, he was right!

It did help me out a bit to prepare for the future.

Even though Kiba can be a pain, it felt good to do something nice for him.

Anyway, it's Saturday and I'm pretty glad that last week was over! Speaking of Saturday, what am I still doing in bed? After that thought, my stomach growled and I quickly jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Morning Sweetheart!"

"Morning mom".

I sat down at the table, and my mother brought a plate with 2 chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream on the top!

I immediatley took a bite, and the taste just sent me to heaven.....

The meal made everything a lot more delicious with a refreshing glass of cold milk.

It took me no more than 5 minutes to finish breakfast (Wow, I must have been hungry).

"Mom thanks for the pancakes! They were delicious!"

She smiled, "I am just glad you enjoyed them, oh and by the way training will be delayed today. Your father said that he had to discuss last week's mission report with the Hokage, it's going to take a while...."

I sighed, "Alright thanks for telling me".

_"Great.......what else am I supposed to do now that I have to wait for dad? I guess I'll just go to my room and think of something to do..."_

I entered my ballet-themed room and sat on my pink bed, "_Why is my room ballet-themed anyway? I don't even dance!"_

"_What should I do now? Go and visit Kimiko? Nahhh….She said she was busy today anyways…..watch TV? Nope, Shin is watching some silly cartoons…."_

Suddenly I noticed a bunch of my old stuffed animals and dolls lying in the corner of my room, "_Oh! Grandma and Grandpa gave me all of those last year. Well Kimiko always talks about having a tea party, so why not have one of those? She said they were lots of fun anway"._

I opened my closet and looked through some clothes to wear, "_Hmmmm….Oh that white dress looks nice! Why not wear this pink boa while I'm at it? Look at these ballet shoes, might as well wear them!"_

I dressed myself in this formal attire and decided to pick the few lucky guests, "_Ok, which stuffed animals and dolls should I pick? How about the ballerina bear, Twinkle? Let's see….Oh I think I'll choose Saki, my fairy doll. Then there's Princess, the princess. Why not pick one more? How about last but __**certainly**__ not least, Chibi Chibi, my kitten? That should be good enough!"_

Since there was no table in my room, I decided to place each of my stuffed animals and dolls in a circle on my carpet.

"_There we go….wait! What should I serve to them? There is no tea in the house, let me check downstairs…"_

I ran down to the kitchen, and mother wasn't there at the moment, she was in the garden tending to the plants.

I checked the fridge, and found a pitcher filled with fresh lemonade, "_Perfect! I love lemonade! Now for some snacks…"_

I checked the pantry and found some chocolate chip cookies, along with cream cheese and crackers, "_I am so excited! This tea party is going to be a success!"_

I put everything on a large tray and carefully walked up the stairs to enter my room.

"Hello everyone! Welcome to Haruno Sakura's Tea-or should I say _lemonade _party? There was no tea today, but I think lemonade is a lot tastier!"

I set everything down and poured the lemonade into everyone else's tea cups, "Ok enjoy! I also have some delicious snacks if you need them. Oh what's that Chibi Chibi? Sure I'll tell you what our menu is today! Ok so we have chocolate chip cookies, cream cheese, and crackers!"

"_You know Kimiko was right, tea parties are sure a lot of fun!"_

Obviously the toys couldn't eat, but hey, I was only a little girl just using my imagination!

"What's that Princess? You're finished! You didn't even eat anything! You guys are _all _full!? Ok then, I guess more for me!"

I helped myself to all of my guests' snacks until I heard someone call my name.

"Sakura!"

"_Oh no! That's mom! If she sees me with food up here, I will be in so much trouble!"_

I could hear the voice getting louder and louder until I heard a knock at my door, "Sakura, are you in there?"

I panicked, "Just a second mom!"

My door wasn't even locked! I tried quickly to put everything away until I heard my mother sigh, "I don't care what you're doing, I'm coming in!"

"_Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" _ I mentally screamed.

The door opened, and I heard………..laughing?

"S-Sakura? Hahaha! You look so adorable sweetheart!"

That was definitely not the response I was expecting……

"Y-You mean y-you're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad at you!? You look positively adorable! Next time, let me know when you're going to have another tea party ok? It's better if we set it up outside, and we can also invite Kimiko!"

I agreed, "Sure thing".

"Oh by the way Saku, your father finished a little earlier then expected from the Hokage's. He's here now, but just give him a bit to rest up and you can start training with him later on today alright?"

"Ok mom!"

I was so excited at that point; there was nothing else to think about, "_I wonder what training with dad is going to be like? Guess I'll find out soon!"_

**Author's Note: **So that was chapter 11!!! Hope you all liked it! Chapter 12 is coming soon. Sorry I'm taking a while, its because of my internship, but do not worry, I will keep updating!

Sweetness


	12. Training with dad!

**Author's Note: **Alright everyone, it's the weekend so I can update faster! I really hope you all like this story so far, and I hope you keep reading! Enjoy chapter 12!

**Chapter 12: **Training with Dad!

I took all of the food and drinks back down to the kitchen, and changed into my training clothes.

Nothing too fancy like my dress, I just wore a sleeveless pink shirt and blue shorts with sneakers.

Dad looked he was ready to go outside and train both Shin and I. Speaking of Shin, he was wearing a cute bandana on his forehead with a simple blue T-shirt and shorts.

"Alright are you guys both ready to train and become _real _ninja?" asked father.

"You bet we are!" I beamed.

"Yeah daddy!" followed Shin.

We followed dad out into the village, we were walking for about 15 minutes until we reached the training grounds.

"Here we are, the training grounds. Now since both of you are too young, we need to focus on building up your chakra levels and have the ability to control them".

Shin and I were much too excited to say anything, instead, we just nodded.

Dad grinned, "Ok I can see you both are pretty excited. Why don't we start with you first Sakura?"

I was pretty surprised when he said that, I had a feeling he was going to choose Shin. He is the "gifted child" after all, "Sure dad!"

I walked over to him and anticipated what was coming next.

"Now Sakura, when using chakra you have to keep in mind that there are 2 different energies used to help control it: Spiritual and Physical. Before we even start focusing how to control the chakra, you need to do some exercise to build up that physical energy".

"_Darn! I thought I was going to get started right away! Well I guess this will help me….."_

My father smiled, "Don't worry; you may not like it now, but wait till you see the results afterwards. We are going to be doing some simple exercises, let's first start with…..sit ups. Do about 5 sets of 10; it's really not that much, only about 50 of them".

I sat down on a soft patch of grass and began my workout.

It didn't event take that long, but when I finished my stomach was burning.

"47, 48, 49……50!" I'm done dad.

"Ok, let's try a couple more. How about using your strength to……….climb a tree".

"Climb a tree?" I asked.

"Yes, this will definitely tire you out and give you more access to your physical energy. Now give it a try".

I sighed, "Alright", and ran over to the tree.

I stared at it for about 30 seconds, "_How in the world am I supposed to climb this thing?_ "

"Sakura, just reach for the lowest branch and then move on from there" advised father.

I took hold of the lowest branch and made sure both my hands and feet kept a firm grip on the bark of the tree.

Since I have never climbed a tree in my life, it took a while for me to reach the top.

I was actually getting the hang of it, and when I got to the top dad wanted me to obviously climb back down. That was the more challenging part of this task.

I carefully slid myself down on the tree bark and took big steps on each of the lower branches. This also took me about 10 minutes, but I was proud of myself and managed to make it down.

"Good, now we are going to focus on your spiritual energy. That usually comes from studying, experience, and meditation. You're only 4 so you don't have any of the experience and there is still so much to learn, so you have not studied all that much. Today we are going to try meditating".

"Meditating? You mean what those crazy old people do all of the time?" I inquired.

My father laughed, "Those crazy old people meditate to put their minds at peace. After a long and stressful day, meditating helps to relieve your mind and it puts you in a better place".

He sat down cross-legged and I followed his example, "Now, I want you to close your eyes and think of something which interests you. It can be anything: friends, family, hobbies, dreams, etc".

"_Dreams! That's what has always interested me, what are my dreams for the future? Let's see…..I want to become a medical ninja and work alongside the Great Tsunade, I want to find a cure for something and maybe even win a prize, I want to become a powerful ninja like father, and I want to………fall in love. I want to fall in love with a man who is also a ninja, who will stand by me and care for me no matter what; and of course I want kids. That sure is a lot to accomplish"._

While my eyes were closed, I found myself getting different images in my head. Those images were all about me!

I saw myself training extremely hard and I am talking to a woman. She had long blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and a small blue diamond on her forehead.

I was with her learning different medical ninjutsus! She also showed me different taijutsus and all sorts of other techniques which seemed to make me stronger in these images.

Then there was another image with me approaching the stage, and the Hokage (whose face I couldn't see clearly…) gave me a prize. It must have been for finding some sort of cure!

All the images suddenly began to clump together, and they formed sort of a figure….

It started to become clearer, and it formed into the shape of a man.

His features were so…..beautiful…..

Those eyes of his, they were like a black color. His skin was the same tone as mine, not too dark and not too light. His hair was black too, and by the looks of it, there were some tints of dark blue. It was pretty spiky from the back. He was wearing an ANBU uniform, so he must be a very powerful ninja, and he wore the forehead protector with the traditional leaf symbol. On the back of his uniform, there was a large red and white symbol; it looked almost like a fan. His arms were crossed, and he wore a cocky smirk on his face…..

Just who was this guy? It's kind of creepy that I got these completely random images of him.

I could feel my energy from different areas of my body; I decided to direct the flow of energy to my feet.

I cheered myself on, "_C'mon Sakura you can do this!_"

I lowered my hands and my chakra flowed downwards, coming very close to my toes.

My father snapped me out of my concentration, "Sakura, good job! I can feel that your chakra is directed towards your feet, well done. I know that you can't quite master it yet, but remember, you have a long time. You should take a rest, you deserve it".

I smiled, "Thanks dad".

I walked over and sat down on a log, "_Now its Shin's turn! I wonder how he is going to do…."_

"Ok Shin, I want you to run around as fast as you can around the field".

My brother gave dad a nod, raised his arms, and ran around like a buffoon.

He even yelled like a maniac……….

"YOODLE YOODLE YOODLE!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! LOOK DADDY, I'M RUNNING LIKE A CRAZY PERSON!!!!!!"

I couldn't help but laugh. I laughed so hard that my stomach started hurting, and I ended up falling off of the log.

It took about 10 minutes for Shin to stop acting nuts and lose all of his energy.

"Ok Shin, now I want you to sit down and think of something you really like".

"Ok daddy!"

I watched as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

How can this kid calm down so easily? I would've thought that it would be difficult for him to concentrate.

What could possible interest this little monster?

Well whatever it was, it was making him smile.

Shin was wrapped up in his thoughts for about 5 minutes.

When those images came in my head, it seemed like forever…..

I watched as my dad tapped his shoulder and call his name, "Shin, Shin!"

Shin snapped open his eyes and smiled at dad, "Yes daddy?"

"Good job, like your sister you were also able to put your energy where you wanted it to go".

He immediately stood up and raised his arms, "YEAH!!!! I'm a real ninja now!!!"

Father laughed, "No, not yet son. You have a lot of work to do before you become a real ninja".

"Alright kids, why don't we head back now? The sun is setting and mom is making some delicious dinner tonight".

We walked left the training grounds and walked through the village, it seemed like everyone was closing up.

I looked up at the sky, it was so……surreal……

It looked like someone painted the sky different colors. There were different shades of reds, yellows, oranges, purples, and even pinks!

"So, I wanted to ask the two of you-"I heard my father speak.

Both mine and my brother's heads snapped up while hearing his voice.

"What did you guys think about while meditating?"

There was a long silence for a while until Shin spoke up, "I saw me standing on earth wearing the leaf".

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Shin turned to face the both of us, "I mean that I want to be one of the strongest ninja that ever lived…."

That's probably one of the most intelligent things I have ever heard him say.

"That's one big dream son, how about you Sakura?"

I faced dad, "Well….my biggest dream is to become a medical ninja. I want to train under Tsunade, and find a cure for a disease someday…."

Father smiled, "I think you both can do it if you don't ever give up. Those are both pretty big dreams….and you know what? I'm proud of you for making those your life long goals".

We arrived home and entered the house; a delicious smelling aroma greeted us as we entered to kitchen.

There, I saw my mother humming a sweet tune while setting the table. Her back was facing us, and that's when I saw my father sneak up on her and hug her from behind.

I saw mom jolt when he came in contact with her, "Relax Rina, it's just me".

Mother sighed, "Oh good, I thought it was someone else. Anyway, you are all just in time for dinner".

We all sat down and watched as mother set the entrée down on the table. It was a dream come true, it was Teriyaki Chicken!

Shin and I immediately dug in and both of our taste buds soared!

"Mom, this is delicious!" I praised.

She smiled, "Thank you".

"Rina, I'm glad I married a good cook like you".

She playfully hit dad on the shoulder, "Are you just sucking up to me Takashi?"

Father laughed, "Of course not! Is there something wrong with expressing the truth?"

She giggled and continued with eating her meal.

I suddenly started thinking about what I told dad this evening, about my dreams for the future.

I mentioned everything except for falling love.

Are you crazy? Of course I would **never** in a million years mention that to my dad!

I think it would be embarrassing and awkward, its best if I just keep it to myself.

Especially that guy.

Just who in the world _is _he?

He looks like every girl's ideal husband.

Maybe that's what he was….just a figment of my imagination who I will never ever meet.

I just dismissed that thought and continued to eat this delectable meal.

"So, how did training go?" mother asked.

Father smiled, "It was great. Both Shin and Sakura managed to have some control of their chakra".

She had a pretty shocked look on her face, "Is that right? My babies are going to become great ninja one day!"

"Yeah, I think so too. They even told me what they want to do when they grow up".

Mother turned to face both Shin and I, "Well, what are those dreams?"

"I want to become the most powerful ninja in the world!" My brother yelled.

You know, no one can be the most powerful ninja. Shin could become one of the strongest in our village, but definitely not the strongest. His goal needs to be more realistic, but he's only 3.

Anyway, who am I kidding? I'm saying that I want to find a cure to some disease….that's also pretty unrealistic.

Dad said to never give up, so I'll take his word for it.

"And what about you Sakura?"

I smirked, "That's easy, I want to become one of the most successful and well-known medical ninja".

"I think if you two keep doing what you're doing, then you will be well on your way to fulfill those goals" She assured us.

I finished my dinner and got ready for bed.

"_Today sure was a long day, I hope what mom and dad said was true"._

I continued to think about those things until sleep took over me……

**Author's Note: **Like it? Please let me know and review! Thanks so much and Chapter 13 will come soon! So stay tuned!

Sweetness


	13. Parent Teacher Conferences

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone!!!! This is lucky chapter 13. Well it's pretty unlucky for one specific character in this one, you'll see why if you people keep reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

**Chapter 13: Parent-Teacher Conferences**

Well it's been a pretty good school year for me.

I've made one really good friend, Kimiko. She and I have gotten pretty close and I hope that when summer comes we will continue to see each other.

Kiba hasn't been that much of a jerk to me since "_**Operation: Dog Catcher**_" was a success.

He introduced me to his friend Shino. By the looks of it, the guy is such an introvert! I feel like his only friends are his bugs, which I find pretty creepy.

I loved all of my classes this year, especially science. The nature walks took my mind off of a lot of things, and really relaxed me. I only liked math because I was pretty good at it and I was really interested in learning about the history of Konoha.

The only thing that bored me a little was the ninja training exercises. They were all about trust and companionship. I guess it's pretty important, but dad has been training me on chakra control so I shouldn't be complaining.

Speaking of Chakra control, I've been improving slowly but surely.

I was pretty scared about going to school for the first time. Crying about it on the first day didn't seem to sway my mother into letting me stay home.

I'm glad I went, because when I got there, I enjoyed every thing we did as a class.

I especially felt comfortable around Iruka Sensei.

Sensei is the kind of guy who every single person in the class got a long with, well…..I'm not too sure about Kiba.

I did have trouble with some of the subjects, and Iruka Sensei had no problems with helping me. I even felt that asking questions made me look stupid in class, but he assured me that there are no such things as stupid questions.

I've grown pretty attached to him, and I heard that he is going to be my teacher for a while.

Anyway….It's almost summer!

So that means I just have to wait one more day, and Iruka Sensei gave all the students envelopes for the parents to read.

I wonder what it says.

Well I'm coming home after a long day of school. As a celebration, everyone brought in snacks and Sensei turned up some festive music to go a long with it.

We even played some games outdoors and got to talk with each other the whole time.

I can't wait to go back next year.

Anyhow, my house came into view and I entered and found my mom on the phone.

It looked like she was trying to get some sort of a recipe from someone.

I watched as she talked while adding some more ingredients to dinner, "Ryoko which other herbs are you supposed to add to this?"

That's who it was, my aunt Ryoko. She is the mother of: Akio, Aito, Akemi, and Akira.

It was good that she is asking aunt Ryoko for a recipe, because she is a great cook! I will never turn down eating her food.

I wonder what mother is making for dinner. Well what ever it was, it sure smells delicious.

"So how long do I have to boil it for?" I heard her say.

"Ok, and then I'm done? Alright, thank you so much Ryoko! I hope it turns out ok, I'll talk to you later".

Mom hung up the phone and greeted me, "How was your last day of school Sakura?"

I smiled, "It was so much fun! We spent the entire day celebrating".

"Did everyone enjoy those brownies I made?"

"They sure did, actually, that was the first thing eaten up".

She smiled that was until her eyes landed on the white envelope in my hand, "Sweetie, what's that?"

I followed her gaze on the envelope and handed it to her, "Oh all of the students were required to give these to our parents; I'm not sure what it is though".

Mother ripped open the envelope and read it; everything seemed ok until her mouth dropped open.

"Mom is everything ok?"

She sat down, "P-Parent Teacher conferences……"

"_Wait, Parent-Teacher Conferences? Uh Oh that means she is going to be in a room with Iruka Sensei for an hour, this couldn't end well….._"

"It's not that bad mom! He doesn't even know that you're my mother".

"You're right Sakura, he only knows me as Yamaguchi Rina, not Haruno Rina. I wonder what his reaction is going to be once he sees me after 10 years…."

"Mom I just think you should keep yourself calm and pretend like nothing happened, that way, things won't be awkward between the two of you".

Her mood suddenly changed, "You're right Saku! I'll just talk to him like a real parent and act like nothing happened!"

I'm glad she's not upset about facing Iruka Sensei.

I sat down at the table and waited patiently for dinner, "What did you make for dinner?"

"Something totally new, which was why I called up Aunt Ryoko. I made Umeboshi".

"Umeboshi?" I asked.

"It's basically pickled plums which are pretty salty and sour. I heard it's delicious and good for your health. Well dinner is about ready, why don't you call Shin down so we can eat?"

"Sure".

I ran upstairs and found Shin playing with his toy ANBU action figures in his room.

"Shin, mom said dinner is ready".

He frowned, "Do I have to? I wanted to set up my army!"

"Your army?"

He grinned, "Yeah! The captain of my army is Haruno Shin and all of my teammates are gone, so I am going to take down all of them!"

"Uhhhh….ok? Well you can finish _after_ you eat dinner".

Shin put his toys down and followed me to the kitchen.

"Alright you two, enjoy!"

I took a bite of the Umeboshi and then I found myself asking for more and more.

"Calm down Sakura, we need to save some for your father. There is always next time, so don't think that you will never taste them again".

I sighed, "Alright…….."

"Oh and Sakura?"

"Yes mom?"

"You have to come with me to the conferences, but not in the room though".

"Is Shin coming too?"

She nodded, "No, Shin is going on a play date tomorrow with Ryo. Since you are too young to stay home by yourself, you have to come with me".

That stinks! I have waste my Friday morning at school!

I decided to watch some TV and there really wasn't anything on which excited me, instead I spent my time flipping through channels. I ended up doing it for about an hour, until I fell asleep.

I heard someone come in my room, and shake me awake, "Sakura, wake up! I'm going to be late!"

I yawned and stretched my arms, "W-Whaaaa?"

"Hello, I have Parent-Teacher Conferences! Get dressed!"

I was suddenly awake, "Wait mom, how did I get back into my room?"

"Oh your father carried you last night".

I smiled, "_Good old dad……"_

I quickly jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, changed, and ate cereal.

Mother and I ran out of the house and we didn't stop until we reached the assigned room.

I didn't notice what my mom was wearing once she signed in.

Since today was pretty warm, she wore a sleeveless white buttoned down shirt and a short sleeved cardigan over it. Then my eyes noticed her classy, light green skirt, and her stylish bun.

"Mom, this is just a conference. Why are you so dressed up?"

She scoffed, "I am not dressed up, and I just wanted to look presentable".

"Sure…." I said as my voice dripped with sarcasm.

She looked through the small classroom door window and found that it was empty, "Ok Sakura, I want you stay out here or you can go to the playground. When I'm finished, I'll come and get you ok?"

"Ok".

Is she kidding me? I am for sure staying here so I can hear what those two are going to say about me.

She entered the room and, shortly after, I saw Iruka Sensei walk in carrying a clipboard.

The door closed shut and I got out of my seat and carefully looked through the window.

He still had that clipboard in front of his face and didn't even notice my mother.

I put my ear right against the door

"Ok, welcome Mrs. Haruno. I am Umino Iruka, Sakura's teacher" I heard him say while still marking stuff down on his piece of paper.

He put it down on his desk and faced my mother, as soon as their eyes met, he looked………………..a little shocked.

"R-Rina?"

Mother tried to keep her composure, but I'm sure on the inside she was itching to get of this situation…

She smiled, "Long time no see Iruka".

He was stuttering, "Uhhh…Y-Yes, it has been……..a while…."

It looked like mom was trying to keep the conversation going, "So…how has Sakura been this year?"

I guess since I was the subject, it seemed to put them both at ease, "Oh Sakura? She has been a wonderful student this year. She is devoted and hardworking; I wish most of my other students could be like her. She has a great understanding of all the different subjects. I'm sure you know that she is an ace in math; she loves science and wants to learn more about our nation's history.

I think both my mother and I liked what we were hearing. So far she's doing a good job, and the awkwardness seemed to fade away.

Sensei continued to praise me, "She works well with her classmates, and I'm glad she's made Kimiko her good friend. You know about her right?"

Mother nodded, "Oh of course I do! Saku talks about Kimiko all the time. She lives in our neighborhood so they go out and play a lot. I do want her to make some more friends, she's actually pretty shy".

Iruka Sensei smiled, "Rina, this is the age when most children haven't exactly come out of their shells yet. I am sure most definitely that Sakura will become her own person pretty soon. To me, she kind of has that cult personality. When she gets older, a lot of people are going to want to be her friend".

She sighed, "I hope so……."

He assured her, "Oh I know so. Remember Rina, Sakura has her whole life to develop into her own person. Just give it some time; you know her name certainly fits her pretty well and I'm not just talking about her hair color; I am saying that right now she is just a small flower bud. As she gets older, and starts experiencing more things and becomes more confident in herself, Sakura will bloom into one of the most beautiful flowers Konoha has ever seen".

I was in complete awe, "_Me? A beautiful flower? Does he really think that?_"

Sensei continued, "You know, she reminds me a lot of you Rina".

My mother's head snapped up at that comment and her hands clasped together tightly.

This time it was her turn to stutter, "Oh, I-I guess you are right…."

Then the awkwardness returned, and there was a long pause. It lasted for about 30 seconds.

I looked at my mother while silently pleading to her, "_Please mom! Just say something, anything!!!!"_

Then I heard Iruka Sensei start back up the conversation, "Rina……we need to talk…."

My mother shifted uncomfortably, "About w-what?"

He took a deep breath, "About………..what happened…………….between us…."

Mom pursed up her lips, "Oh…….that……."

I watched as Sensei picked up his chair and moved it closer to mothers, "Rina, I'm…….I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I was a horrible friend for just walking out on you, and you know what? I regret not marrying you because you are the most wonderful woman I have _ever_ come across in my life. I was selfish to think that my duty to this village mattered more than you. I don't want you to think that all of these years I've forgotten about you, you have been haunting my mind for these past 10 years. Now that I've found you again after such a long time, I find that you're married to another who deserves you much more than I do. I'm sorry, I am truly sorry for my unforgivable mistake. You don't need to forgive me, because I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you Rina………."

I can't believe Sensei had the courage to say all of that! At that point, what was mom thinking?

She stayed glued to her chair, not saying anything.

He continued, "I don't expect you to give me an answer Rina, I am not worthy of your time…..anyway, conference time is over, so I have to go".

Sensei got up from his chair and my mother stood up and grabbed his hands. He looked at her face, she was crying.

"Stop! Stop saying you don't deserve anything! I forgive you, and you know what? I still love you…..I was upset that you didn't want to marry me, but you know what? As long as you were happy, so was I".

Iruka Sensei touched her face, "I'm not happy……I still love you……"

Mother was in complete shock; well I mean who wouldn't be?

"W-Wait, w-what do you mean you s-still love me?"

He sighed, never letting to of her tear-stained face, "I have always loved you, but the way you treated me, it just seemed like I was only "friend material". I didn't say anything because I was afraid it would ruin our relationship".

She cried harder, "B-But w-why did you leave me?"

Sensei stroked her face, "I…..I just wasn't ready to face you after my shameful actions that night….My goal all this time has been to train hard so I would never have to watch my comrades die in front of me again".

Mother continued to sob

"Rina please, please don't cry. It pains me to see you like this. You have a beautiful daughter who is doing so well, and you are married to one of the strongest men in the village. I am sure Takashi loves you with all of his heart, and he deserves you more than I do…."

She just broke down in front of him and wrapped her arms around Iruka Sensei, "Iruka, even though I am married to Takashi….I wanted to let you know that you still and always will hold a special place in my heart…."

Sensei kissed her on the cheek, "As do you Rina……"

He wiped the tears off of mom's face, "You need to stop crying Rina, and you don't want Sakura to see you like this right?"

"You're right……but Iruka…….what do we do now? I mean about us?"

"Well, let's continue to remain friends. Why don't we just go out for coffee and catch up on each other is next Saturday ok with you?"

My mother smiled a true smile, "Yes, yes it is".

They hugged each other one last time and walked to the door

"_Oh no! They're not supposed to find me here!" _I thought.

I ran as fast as I could out of the building and starting playing on the swings.

"Hello Sakura!" Yelled mom.

I got up, "Hey mom, how was the conference?"

"It was great! Iruka Sensei said that you are a fine student and he is excited to teach you next year.

We left the school and headed back home, "_I'm glad they saw each other after all of these years. It's upsetting though that they can't be together, but at least they will never forget each other because they both hold special places in each other's hearts…._"

**Author's Note: **Well that was Chapter 13!!!! Interesting right? This is why you all should keep reading and REVIEWING! I seriously need more readers…..I'm working so hard on this story and I'm not really getting any! So I would really appreciate it if you did!

Sweetness


	14. A Typical Summer Day

**Author's Note: **Hello!!!! I was just taking a break from writing for a bit, and now I am back on track :)  
I want to give another shout out to my star reader: CrushinSammygirl. Sammy I hope you keep on reading, and for anyone else, I want you all to give me as much feedback as possible!!! Even though it's summer, I have so much stuff to do. I have my internship at the NIH, SAT prep classes, having get togethers with friends, etc. Anyway, here is the next chapter!

**Chapter 14: A Typical Summer Day  
**

Ahhhhh.....summer...

It's my favorite season of the year, there's just so much to do!

School has ended for about a couple weeks now, so what have I been doing this whole time?

Swimming in the lake of course!

It has one of the purest water sources out of all the nations, and it's so clean that you can see your reflection clearly!

In Konoha, the temperatures rise pretty dramatically in the summer. To cool off, they all jump into the cool depths of the lake.

And today was no exception.

Why am I telling you about the lake on a hot day like this!? I should be going there already!

I quickly changed into my pink skirt-like polka-dotted bathing suit and ran out the door until my mother called me, "Sakura! I won't be able to take you today. I think Kimiko and her mom said something about going, so why don't you go with them? I'll join you later!"

"Ok!" I said.

I left the house and headed over to Kimiko's.

I knocked on their door and was greeted by the warm presence of her mother.

She was an older woman, but I can tell from her features she must have been gorgeous when she was younger.

Her name is Aiko-san. Although she was older, she was always very elegantly dressed. Aiko-san had red hair which was so long that it reached down to her lower back and her piercing blue eyes glistened in the afternoon sun as she greeted me.

"Welcome Sakura! Wait here for a bit, Kimiko is getting dressed" Informed Aiko-san.

I waited for about 5 minutes on their paisley living room sofa until I heard Kimiko excitedly run over and greet me. Her swimwear made me a bit jealous, it was just too cute!

Like mine, Kimiko also wore a tanktop with a matching skirt. The only difference was that it was a cerulean color, embroidered with the elegant curls of the waves. The ruffles on her skirt, gave it such a nice touch.

"Hey Sakura! Ready to go?" She said pulling me off of the couch.

I nodded, "You bet I am".

Aiko-san led us outside, walking past the market and various buildings, until we arrived at the lake.

It was a secluded area with large palm trees surrounding it. There were hammocks set up between the trees and several ice cream carts. What I noticed the most about the lake was the way the sun was hitting it.

It glistened and sparkled and the water looked like a second sky. The shine from the sunlight gave the water such a peaceful and serene feel to it.

We set up our things underneath one of the palm trees and I looked around. There were not that many people, although there were some I could recognize.

Kimiko and I put some sunscreen on and we hurried over to the lake and stopped to test the temperature of the water. It was pretty warm today! We wasted no time, and jumped right in.

"This feels so good! Doesn't it Sakura?" Kimiko asked.

"Yeah it does" I agreed with her.

I watched as people splashed each other, but I was in no mood for that. I just wanted to let myself float and relax......

Well my relaxation came to an end when I felt something hit my head, and boy did it hurt!

_"Who in the world hit me!?" _I inwardly fumed.

My question was answered when I heard laughter a couple centimeters away from me, "Hey Pinky! Throw the ball over here!"

That loud and irritating voice belonged to none other than Inuzuka Kiba.

I took the soft water ball and threw it, hoping I would hit Dog Breath's face.

Nope, no it didn't, the squishy object ended up hitting Shino......

Like me, Shino was also in the state of complete relaxation until the ball came in contact with his sunglasses.....

Why would he wear sunglasses in the water? He is such a weird guy!

"Hey! Who hit me!?" the insect king snarled.

Inuzuka pointed in my direction, which resulted in Shino taking another ball from a couple of other kids to hit me, "That's what you get for breaking my sun glasses!"

I guess I would have complained and cried in agony if the ball in came in contact with my face, but it didn't.

I felt pretty sorry for Kimiko at that point.

"Y-You jerk! Why did you hit me!? I didn't do anything to you!" She yelled.

I watched as she quickly dog-paddled to me and whispered into my ear, "Sakura, I'm going to go back to our spot to get some more ammo, so I can give this guy a piece of my mind!"

_"This is not going to end well......" _I thought.

Kimiko brought back the **ENTIRE** basket of water balls and threw a whole army of them. She tried to hit Shino but, as predicted, she missed and hit someone else.

It ended up becoming a full out brawl!

Of course I didn't want to get tangled into this mess so I trudged out of the water and back to Aiko-san. It looks like my mother finally caught up with us too.

"Oh Sakura! Having fun?" Asked mom.

"Well….besides the fight in the water, yes I am having tons of fun".

"Fight!?" Both mother's questioned.

I sighed, why must I always have to explain everything?

"Inuzuka Kiba actually started this whole thing. He ended up hitting me, so I wanted to hit him and ended up in hitting Shino. Then Shino tried attacking me, which resulted in the ball hitting Kimiko. Then after her, I couldn't remember who else hit who. It was like a whole chain".

"Is there something we should do about this water fight?" worried mother.

Aiko-san put her hand on mother's shoulder, "Rina, let them have their fun!"

Mom sighed, "I guess you're right….Saku, are you hungry? Aiko and I were just having a little picnic. There's still a lot of food left in the basket".

I opened the basket and found an entire banquet stuffed inside!

Mom made some cold pasta, cold-cut sandwiches, potato salad, fresh fruit, umeboshi-

Well the list stopped as soon as I said umeboshi.

I savored the salty and sour goodness of this dish, "It's delicious! Thank you!"

"Glad you like it" she beamed.

"Aiko-san, should I get Kimiko for you?" I asked.

We all looked toward the direction of her loud and enraged voice, "COME BACK HERE INSECT FREAK!!!!!"

"AHHHHHHH Stop it you Barbie!!!!!"

Shino was in for it now……..

Sure Kimiko is preppy, but she doesn't it like it when someone calls her a girly-girl or worse, "Barbie".

Shino was too much of a coward to face her, instead he hid behind Kiba.

Her mother nodded, "Yes, please before she gives that poor boy a fatal injury. I would be happy if the Aburame clan didn't sue my family for everything we have…."

I giggled, "Ok, I'll go and get her".

I ran as fast as I could before no one else got hurt, "Kimiko, your mom needs you!"

"Just have her wait 5 minutes, a lot can be done in 5 minutes….." she seethed.

I was pretty nervous at this point; wait there was PB&J! Kimiko could never turn that down!

"Kimiko, your mom made some delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…" I taunted.

She immediately turned her attention towards me and ran up the hill to our spot and eat.

I bent down eye-level with Shino, "You were very lucky that I was here".

I went back to our shaded spot and sat next to Kimiko, "You could have almost killed him Kimiko! What were you thinking?"

She took a sip of her pink lemonade, "Well…..I don't like being called Barbie Sakura, and I'm sure that you would do the same thing if you were in that kind of a situation".

"That was not appropriate behavior at all young lady" her mother cut in.

I was relieved that she came to her senses and behaved like the person she usually is.

Time passed by pretty quickly, it was almost sunset!

My mom looked at her watch, "Oh my, where did the time go? Well Sakura we need to go. Good bye Kimiko, bye Aiko! We hope to see you soon!"

Mother held my hand as we left the lake, "Mom? Why do we have to leave so early?"

"That wasn't early sweetheart! I need to go back home and make some dinner for your father. Besides, you're Iruka Sensei and I are going out for coffee afterwards".

I eyed her suspiciously, "Does dad know that you two are going out?"

"Of course he does! He is my husband afterall, and he knows about what happened between the two of us. Your father said it's best that we piece back together our friendship, we trust each other Sakura".

We arrived back home and I took a shower and changed into my Pajamas while mother immediately started on dinner.

Suddenly the door bell rang.

I heard mother answer it, "Ah, hello Gin! Thank you so much for having Shin over, did you have lots of fun honey?"

"Yup!" Shin said.

"Was he being a bother?" inquired mother.

Gin-san chuckled, "No of course not! He was a good little angel-

Angel!? I beg to differ……

Who played with Ryo's action figures and watched movies. The boys had a lot of fun together, they should have playdates more often!"

Mom nodded, "I agree…..hello Ryo chan! How are you?"

I eyed the said child, He had his thumb stuck in his mouth. His long reddish-brunette hair covering his eyes, he was too cute!"

"Well Gin, thank you again for having Shin over and next time the boys can stay over here!"

"Alright, thanks again Rina".

Mother waved, "Bye!"

She closed the door and hurried back to cooking.

I was still watching TV, until Shin came over and sat next to me.

"Did you have fun Shin?"

Not that I was interested, but I figured, maybe it would give him some enjoyment to tell what he did over at his friend's.

"Oh! We played ninja games, Ryo showed me his mint condition action figures……………………."

I nodded at the appropriate places and just tuned him out saying the words "sure" and "cool" to keep him happy.

Father walked in the house, kissed my mother on the cheek, and began eating his dinner.

At that point, she got dressed and told dad she would be out for an hour or so.

She left and I went back upstairs to my room.

I looked around and came across my year book from this year. I opened it and saw everyone's pictures, including my own.

I was never the photogenic type, my smile always looked pretty cheesy and frozen in front of the camera. There was no solution for this "photo-phobic" syndrome.

I remembered all of the things that happened this year including, operation:dog catcher. That was a lot of fun, and I guess, I got to know Kiba a lot more. Then there were the parent-teacher conference…..

Well, we all know how that turned out.

The one thing which really surprised me was when Sensei said that I would bloom into one of Konoha's "most beautiful flowers".

That's hard to believe…….

I found my eyes drooping all of a sudden; I guess playing in the water really tires you out huh?

I dropped the yearbook on the floor, my head hit the pillow, and I drifted off to sleep………..

A couple of minutes later I felt lips come in contact with my skin.

My eyes snapped right open, and mom was home.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up, "How was the dinner?"

"Oh Saku! It was wonderful! I think your Sensei and I are going to get our friendship back on track. We caught up with each other on lots of things, and after talking with him after so long, I only see him as a friend now".

I yawned, "That's good…."

"You should probably get back to bed, sorry I woke you! I can tell you about the rest tomorrow, bye Saku".

The door closed and again sleep took over me………………..

**Author's Note: **Did you all like it!? I guess you could kind of call it a filler, I was running out of ideas. The next chapter will be coming soon, I would say most likely in a couple days.

Sweetness.


	15. Second Grade

**Author's Note: **Hello Hello!!!! So my hard work is seriously not getting anywhere.....I would really really appreciate it if more people would just read and review! I am not going to forget about my side of the bargain either and that is, to finish up this story! Enjoy Chapter 15!

**Chapter 15: Second Grade**

It's been two years already, wow I can't believe it!

Has anything changed? Not really....

Well...let's see......

Mom is still hanging out with Iruka Sensei and he actually comes over for dinner, which is a bit odd for a teacher to come to his student's house. He and my dad have become good friends now. Shin is entering first grade this year, and he is really excited about it. Unlike me, he didn't cry on his first day of pre-school.

What's new in my life????

I am going into the second grade.

Apparently this year, I get to move to the next building down, the lower school. We get to see the third graders a lot and there are going to be a lot of new students this year.

Kimiko and I are still friends; we've gotten a lot closer over these past couple years....

I still remain my shy and quiet self, and I don't mind keeping it that way.

Since I am starting school today, I have to wake up really early.

Speaking of which, my mother just opened the door and woke me up, "Sakura, time for your first day of school!"

I got out of bed, dressed into my usual uniform, and ate breakfast.

It's almost like a tradition; mom prepares us a huge meal on the first day of school. Today she served us large stacks of French toast with powdered sugar, fruits like strawberries and bananas, and fresh cream!

When it comes to my mother's cooking, of course, I end up finishing the entire meal.

I have to walk with Shin to school now, and the kid is like a little ball full of energy! Just where in the world does he get it from?

"Sakura, what's first grade like?"

"Who's my teacher going to be?"

"What will I be learning?"

"Am I going go do ninja stuff?"

I sighed, "_Great…..it's only the first day of school and he's already bombarding me with questions so early in the morning…….._"

I decided to answer him so he would leave me alone, "Number one: In First Grade you learn more difficult things, but it's also a lot of fun. Number two: I don't know all of the teachers at school, so you are going to find out for yourself. Number three: You'll be continuing what you learned in pre-K and Kindergarten, and yes, that includes ninja stuff".

Hard to believe I was able to answer all of that in one breath!

Finally we arrived at school and I took Shin to the entrance of the Primary building, and I headed over to the lower school.

It was bigger than the primary school since there were more grades. As soon as I entered, the principal of the school directed all of us to the auditorium.

The room was huge! I couldn't even count how many seats there were. I was in complete awe until I heard someone call my name, "Sakura!"

My head turned to the direction of the high-pitched voice, and it was Kimiko.

She greeted me with her signature smile and asked her usual question. "Are you excited for second grade? I sure am!"

We found a couple of seats and sat down, "Yup, I sure am".

Then a woman appeared on the stage. She was old with deep purple locks, tied up into a bun. Her eyes were beady and the wrinkles were evident on her face.

"Hello everyone, I am your principal, Chiyo. Now I just wanted to say welcome to all of you and once this meeting is over, you must go through those doors and your teacher will meet you. Welcome especially to the new second graders, congratulations on finishing the primary school successfully. I wish you luck in the next couple of years, here in the lower school of the Konohagure Academy, you will grow and develop skills and techniques which I'm sure many of you will discover. You will carry these on in the middle school and so forth………………………….

And so she went on and on and on for so long, that I subconsciously fell in deep sleep………

"Sakura……………..Sakura……….SAKURA!!!!!!!!"

My eyes snapped open and there was Kimiko removing my head from her shoulder, "The meeting is over! Now we can go see Iruka Sensei!"

I rubbed my eyes and walked with her out the doors, "How long was I asleep for?"

Kimiko thought about it for a bit, "Hmmm….Well Chiyo-san's speech went on for about an hour. Then there were some other staff members and that took about………I would say 2 hours. Did you know Chiyo-san isn't from here?"

That caught my attention.

"Really? Where?" I suprisedly asked her.

"She's from Sunagakure, the sand village. When she got to the part of the "challenges and dreams", Chiyo-san moved her to refine her medical ninjutsu skills. She needed money to pay for her temporary living conditions here, so she decided to become head of this school".

"But why out of all places would Chiyo-san come to study here?"

Kimiko tilted her head and gave me a questioning look, "Don't you know sakura? Konoha is known for its most prestigious medical programs and institutions".

"_I'm the one who wants to become a medical ninja! How come I didn't know that? Sometimes I can be so clueless about things…._"

Iruka Sensei waved to us signaling that the classroom was in his direction. We ran over and went inside; it didn't look any different from the classroom in the primary school. In fact, it looked exactly the same.

Kimiko and I sat down in the front of the classroom and waited for Iruka Sensei to start class.

"Welcome to another great year everyone! What did you all do over the summer?"

No one answered and Sensei decided to randomly pick a couple of students, "Kiba! Let's start with you, what were your summer plans?"

Kiba was slouching and you could tell with the dark bags under his eyes that he didn't even get a good night sleep.

"Wellll….I ughjgggfmhmklerup……….."

His speech was slurred. Sensei took a water bottle from one of the new students, Chouji, and splashed it all over Kiba's head.

"DON'T FALL ASLEEP IN MY CLASS DO YOU HEAR ME!?" he exploded.

"Whaaa???? Oh yeah! Ummm…I…….went to the lake!"

Sensei gave Dog boy a suspicious look, "You're off the hook this stuff time……."

"Shino! How about you?"

Shino was, as usual, sitting in the back corner of the classroom. He was trying to take Chouji's pack of chips.

"What are you doing Shino? Do I have to yell at you too?"

"Sensei that bug freak is trying to take my food!!!!!" Yelled the food hoard himself.

Iruka Sensei was pretty exasperated at this point, "Chouji, This is the first day and I am letting you slide. No more food in the classroom alright? That wasn't very of nice of you calling Shino a bug freak either, I want you to switch with Kimiko".

"_No! It's only the first day and he's making me sit with fat boy here!?"_

Kimiko groaned, "Nooooo…..why do I have to sit with bug boy? I didn't even do anything!"

"At least he's quiet, unlike this one…." I whispered.

She reluctantly got up and went to the back of the room.

"Now, you were saying Shino?" urged Sensei.

Bug brain clasped his hands together, and looked like he was deep in thought, "My father took me to an entomology facility and watched him do plenty of research……."

"Ohhh…..sounds interesting…."

I'm sure in the back of Sensei's mind he was thinking, "_Wow, he really is a bug freak!_"

He continued to conduct the class, "Now that we've talked about summer, the next thing on our agenda is talking about the buddy system".

"_Buddy system?_" I inwardly asked.

Since you all are new to the lower school, you are required to have a third grade buddy for the first couple weeks. It really depends on how quickly you are able to adjust to this building. They are also there to answer any of your questions you have. So I will actually pass out a new sheet to each of you, giving all of the information of your new buddy".

Sensei passed my sheet to me and the name was, "Watanabe Miki".

Now if you would all please follow me to the main lobby area and I will introduce you each to your buddy.

We followed Sensei out of the classroom and into the lobby area where I saw all of the third graders sitting in rows, waiting for us.

"_I wonder which one is going to be my buddy"_

They all looked pretty immature to me; they were calling each other names and making fun of each other. It was a bit intimidating…….

"_This should be interesting……….._"

**Author's Note: **Well there you have it, chapter 15! I hope you all liked it! Chapter 16 is coming very very soon!!!!!

Sweetness


	16. Meeting New People

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! Long time no read eh? Well have no fear, sweetness is here! I know my readers have been saying that this story is moving slow, but I am moving the best I can. I have so much to do even though its summer, but I will keep making the effort to make you guys happy :)

Anyways, enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 16: Meeting New People**

I sat down with the rest of my classmates while Iruka Sensei read each of our names aloud a long with the names of our buddies.

"Akimichi Chouji and Akiyama Kisho".

He left his seat and approached his buddy. Although Chouji gets on my nerves sometimes, nobody should be laughing at him.

And those jerks did just that.

His "buddy" just raised his hand and didn't even greet the poor guy, Kisho just let his friends laugh at Chouji like that.

No I really don't want a buddy.

"Haruno Sakura and Watanabe Miki".

I slowly got up and looked for the said girl when a hand immediately shot up at the sight of me, "Oh, Sakura! I'm right here".

We both smiled at each other, "hello there Miki".

She was actually pretty tall for her age; I thought she was probably a 5th or 6th grader! Her silky naturally highlighted brownish-blonde hair cascaded down her tall and lean body, giving her that more mature look. Miki had a nice glowing tan complexion; she looked like she came from one of the beaches at the land of water.

I could tell by the amount of girls surrounding her, she was a very popular girl.

Iruka Sensei spoke up and caught everyone's attention, "Alright third graders, I want you to take good care of my students. You guys will basically take this first day to tour around the lower school and you will be able to see your friends during lunch and recess. Hopefully by the end of the day, you all will get used to this building and will be able to go about the day yourself. If you still haven't adjusted by the second day, by all means ask your buddy where you need to go for your next class. Enjoy your day, and I will see you all tomorrow".

The bell rang, and that was everyone's signal to leave and get to the next class.

"C'mon Sakura! My next class is history!"

She took my hand and we ran down the long corridor to get to our next class

"_Thank goodness Miki is showing me around, I would have gotten lost the second I left the lobby area!_"

She held the door open for me and I took my seat, as usual, in the front of the classroom.

"Hello everyone, my name is Kawaguchi Kenji. I see you are all my new students and there are some second graders here, welcome to the lower school. Now today we will just be doing some review of our nation and the geography of the surrounding areas, then later on in the year we will be focusing on Konoha's history. It's history is something which makes me proud to be a citizen of this village".

He started writing on the board, "Now, can someone tell me……who was the fourth Hokage, what was his nickname, and what was his biggest accomplishment".

No one answered; it was so quiet that you could have even heard Shino's crickets on the other side of the school!

I hesitantly raised my hand, "Ahh..yes you with the pink hair".

"_I can't stand it when someone points me out with pink hair! Why couldn't God just make me normal-looking?_"

I took a deep breath so I wouldn't blow up on him.

How bad of a first impression would that be huh?

"The fourth Hokage was Namikaze Minato. He was known as the yellow flash, and he was known for sealing the nine-tails fox inside a child saving his village. Although he saved Konoha, he risked his own life and for that he still to this very day is honored by everyone".

Everyone just stopped what they were doing and stared at me, I in return sheepishly grinned at them while Sensei clapped.

"Very good! What's your name little one?"

"Haruno Sakura".

"Well Sakura, I'm very impressed that you actually knew this kind of information. Class I would like you all to be more like Sakura, and that way you all can get good grades in this class".

I was afraid to look at anyone in the eye, after all, after that little spiel I probably gained the title "teacher's pet".

Kenji Sensei went over some more stuff on geography, which I already knew.

Iruka Sensei really taught us well.

Time passed and I went to each different class, and finally it was lunch!

I had a pretty small breakfast today, it was cereal and it sure wasn't long enough to sustain my big appetite!

Miki and I headed towards the cafeteria, and it was pretty big and roomy.

"Sakura, do you see anyone you know around here?" Miki asked me.

My eyes searched around the entire room until they found Kimiko sitting with her third grade buddy and her group of friends.

"Found them!" I ran over and greeted Kimiko as Miki followed me over there.

Kimiko smiled, "Hey Saku! How has your day been with Miki?"

"It's been great, she's been nothing but nice to me today. How about you?"

Kimiko tapped her buddy's shoulder and introduced her to me, "Sakura I want you to meet my buddy, Hiromi".

I gave her a warm smile, it seemed like she didn't reciprocate. Instead, she just looked at me and went back to conversing with her friends.

Well what was so special about this Hiromi anyway? She wasn't even that pretty!

She had short bob cut brown hair, plain light brown eyes and pale skin! Actually when I meant to say pale, it was pretty close to a pink color. Which I think is just gross!

Kimiko just shrugged probably mentally saying to me, "_I don't know what's gotten into her, she's usually so nice! Just give her time, Hiromi will definitely warm up to you!_"

I went along with it and asked, "Hey Kimiko, since it's nice out do you want to go and play on the swings with me?"

I watched as her lips pursed up and looked back at Hiromi and sigh, "Ummm….Do you think maybe some other day? Hiromi wanted me to stay with her….."

My mouth was wide open, "_Why would Kimiko say no? She absolutely loves going on the swings, she couldn't turn that down! Well I can't be her only friend, so maybe she could spend some time with Hiromi today….._"

I got up from my seat until Kimiko grabbed my hand, "Where are you going?"

I slightly smiled, "Well it you're a little busy with Hiromi so I'm going to go outside, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then".

She nodded, "Sure thing! I'll catch you later!"

I walked outside and enjoyed the fresh air, "_It feels so nice to stretch and get out of the classroom and just relax……_"

Other than Kimiko, I didn't play with anyone else.

"_If Kimiko isn't here, than who am I supposed to spend my time with?"_

The same old cherry blossom tree where I first met Kimiko caught my eye. I sat down and opened my paper bag, and ironically, it was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"_It's Déjà vu…….all over again. Except, no Kimiko is going to sit with me today…._"

I savored the sweetness of the jelly, and ate slowly. I guess I must have been so captivated by the taste that I failed to notice someone approaching me.

"Mind if I join you?"

The outline of the shadow was a bit difficult for me to tell who it was, but then I realized it was Iruka Sensei.

I finished my lunch, "Sure….."

He made himself comfortable, "Why are you sitting by yourself Sakura? Where's Kimiko?"

I sighed, "W-Well, she wanted to spend some time with her buddy today so I just came out here to enjoy the weather".

"I see……you know Sakura, I just want you to keep an open mind about this. Although Kimiko has made another friend, you should know that your friendship will not come between her's and Hiromi's".

I looked up and was greeted by his warm chocolate brown eyes, "Ok Sensei, and thank you for telling me this. Although…..I don't understand why when Kimiko introduced me to Hiromi, she didn't even say a simple hello. She kind of ignored me and acted like I wasn't even there. Is there…………….something wrong with…….me?"

Sensei just looked at me like I was crazy, and then, he just patted me on the head.

"Nonsense! Of course there's nothing wrong with you. I'm sure that when you were introduced, Hiromi noticed that very quiet and shy side of yours. She's definitely one to talk. I guess maybe when she warms up to you, she could get to know you better and you girls could become good friends".

Something in my expression told Sensei that it would never happen, and instead he took one of the flowers, lifted my chin up and spoke.

"Sakura, do you see this? What is it?"

I looked at it for a while, and it finally registered in my brain, "It's…………a flower bud".

Where was he getting at with a flower bud?

Then he put it down and put something else in front of my face, "What is the difference between these two things?"

"Well…..the first one you showed me was a bud and this is…………a fully bloomed Sakura flower".

"Exactly".

"Sensei, are you comparing me to a flower? I think you've done it before at the conferences".

I should have kept my mouth shut when I said _conferences_. He probably remembered that I was eavesdropping on both Sensei and mom!

He smirked, "Oh I only told your mother that when you were in pre-k, wait, did you listen to anything else?"

"Oh no! Not at all, I had to pass by your room to go to the bathroom on that day and I overheard that comment. You really think so?"

"I know so. Yes you are quiet and shy and you still have a lot to learn to achieve your dreams and goals. You may not take this seriously now, but I have a feeling that you are one of the few that I think will change dramatically soon".

"_Me? Change dramatically? Like that's going to happen. It's hard for people to change as they grow older, what makes him think that I'm going to change? That's pretty hard to believe…….."_

Kimiko still hadn't come out of the building when I was hoping she would and then soon the bell finally rang and caught up with Miki to get to her next class.

It was odd though…As I was running, I could feel someone looking at me. I know for a fact that it's not for a fact paranoia.

"_Rina, continue to raise your daughter well. She may not believe in any of us, or herself for that matter. I believe that she will change for the better……"_


	17. Betrayal

**Author's Note: **Hey all! Ok so I am trying to use my weekends wisely and update this story. On top of that, I have to do a bunch of summer work for junior year!!!! I know, boring right? Saturday I couldn't do it because during the day I was at a tea party and then family came over in the evening. So here is chapter 17!

**Chapter 17: Betrayal**

It's been about 3 months since second grade started for me and things just don't seem the way were a while ago……

Everything is ok in my family life, and I'm still doing well in school. The only thing I've started to notice is that everyone in class, they're kind of all………drifting away from me.

Especially Kimiko.

Since 3 months have passed, you would have thought that Kimiko already adjusted to the lower school.

Well I don't think she still needs to get used to the place, but she keeps spending all of her time with that girl Hiromi.

It's good that she's made a new friend but I feel like she's lost touch with me.

She doesn't walk back home with me anymore…..

Her behavior's changed too.

It's like every time she's with Hiromi, I would still say hi to her but Kimiko wouldn't say anything back to me. On top of that, Hiromi gives me these nasty looks.

I never did anything to her! Why does she have to act so mean to me?

I shouldn't really even be thinking about Kimiko anyway, I should be listening and taking notes on Iruka Sensei's lecture about Konoha's unique environment. Including the different types of plants and animals we have here.

The bell rang, signaling for everyone to leave and head off for the next class.

I carried my bag and walked by myself down the corridor until I bumped into someone, causing my klutzy self to fall on the floor and drop everything.

"Watch where you're going forehead!" Screamed Hiromi.

I didn't even say anything and instead rubbed my bruised forehead. Then I noticed that Kimiko was standing right next to Hiromi helping her up.

She should be helping me up!

I was expecting Kimiko to say something, but she didn't. Instead, she glared at me and repeated Hiromi's words, "Yeah watch where you're going forehead!"

Right then and there I was so……….hurt……

"_Why is she saying this? I thought she was my friend"_.

After Kimiko helped Hiromi up, they both left. Kimiko left me…..on the cold hard ground.

I just didn't understand what happened to Kimiko, she was supposed to be my best friend….

I picked up all of my books and ran back to class.

"Sorry I'm late Sensei, I dropped my books".

He smiled assuringly, "That's fine Sakura, please take a seat and we will begin shortly".

I sat down and Kimiko was in this class.

"Alright everyone! I am going to give you all a little "quiz". It doesn't count for a grade or anything, but I just wanted to see if the material has stayed in your memory or not. This quiz covers the geography of our nation and then you also have to fill out the village capitals. To make it easier, you may pick a partner".

I looked at Kimiko, hoping she would come over and pick me. Instead she turned to the girl next to her, Emi.

I couldn't even describe the feeling, "_What's going on? Kimiko doesn't really even no Emi, I've never seen them hang out. What happened to our friendship? Doesn't it mean anything to her?_"

I looked around the room searching for someone, but everyone was already all paired up….

I sighed, "_I guess I'll just have to do this by myself….._"

I got to work on the sheet of paper, and thankfully I paid enough attention in class to complete the quiz with ease.

The only thing that bothered me was that I was the only person in the classroom without a partner, it felt so………..lonely…….

A couple minutes later, the lunch bell rang and everyone turned their papers in. As I walked out, Iruka Sensei called me back in the room.

"Sakura, is there something wrong?"

I plastered a smile on my weary face, "No……everything is ok Sensei, what would make you think that?"

He rubbed the back of his head and looked at me with concern, "Well…it's just that, you've been kind of different lately. You are a lot quieter than your usual self, and I've also noticed that you and Kimiko don't really spend a lot of time together anymore……what's going on?"

I sighed, "_He's not going to let this go is he?"_

"Well…..ever since Kimiko met Hiromi, things have changed a lot. It's like I don't exist to her anymore….and remember when I told you I was late?"

Sensei nodded.

"I said I was late because I dropped my books on the floor, I did drop them but only because I bumped into someone. That someone turned out to be Hiromi. She called me forehead and acted like it was my entire fault. Then I noticed Kimiko helped her up and she glared at me and called me forehead also…..she really hurt me sensei. I don't know what to do, Kimiko doesn't even want to talk to me now….."

Iruka Sensei was being understanding, which was what I really needed at the moment.

He bent down eye level with me, "Tell you what? Why don't you spend your time with me eating lunch outside and we can talk about this mess. Would you like that?"

The weariness and frustration disappeared from my face, "Yes, I would like that. Let's sit under the cherry blossom tree again".

Sensei agreed and I went to get my lunch and headed outside to our designated spot.

I unpacked my lunch and thought of all the possibilities inside my lunchbox, "_Hmmmmm…..what did mom pack for me today?"_

My hand reached in the bag and there was a juice box, a bag of chips, a couple of chocolate chip cookies, and……a sandwich with some type of meat I have never even seen before….

"_Is this sandwich even good?" _I asked myself.

Iruka Sensei arrived and sat down next to me, it looks like he was also a fan of sandwiches.

"What do you have for lunch today Sakura?" he asked while munching on his, what looks like, roast beef sandwich.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what kind of sandwich it is".

Sensei leaned over to examine today's delicacy, "Hmmm…..it looks like tuna".

"_Tuna? Never heard of it….."_

"Is it good Sensei?"

"Why don't you read this note Sakura? It fell out of our lunch bag".

I took it from his hand and began reading it:

_Sakura,_

_This is something new which I decided to give to you for lunch today, it is a tuna sandwich. Tuna is a fish and your father actually got a whole bunch a couple of days ago while supervising his escort mission to the wave village. They were sold fresh at the market, and he brought some home. _

_I hope you like it!_

_Love,_

_Mom._

I decided to give it a small bite, and found myself gulping the entire thing down my throat!

"You know Sakura, your mom is a great cook. I wouldn't even be surprised if she made octopus taste good".

I laughed at his comment but my glee didn't last for too long as soon as I saw Kimiko walk outside with Hiromi and her little group.

Sensei seemed to notice a drastic change in my mood, "Something wrong Sakura?"

His question was answered as soon as he laid eyes on those girls.

"I want you to ignore her for now, I'm sure she'll come around".

I turned to look at him, "But that's the problem sensei, Kimiko hasn't come around. I waited for months, and she's still hanging out with Hiromi. I don't think it's going to get any better….."

Iruka Sensei put his hand on my shoulder, "Well….I guess maybe you should move on. I'm sorry it had to be Kimiko buddying up with Hiromi. She's not really well liked here, and I'm not saying it to make you feel better".

"Well, I don't know what to do. Every time I come across her, she gives me some snarky comment or makes it obvious that she doesn't like me. It's not just her; I've noticed that all of the third graders don't like me. All of the boys in that grade keep making fun of me because of the way I look".

Tears suddenly fell from my eyes, I tried hiding them but they didn't go unnoticed by Sensei.

He brushed them away and tried to comfort me, "Hey listen……boys at this age, and will be for a while, are immature. They don't appreciate your inner beauty, and that's what really matter. For Hiromi and her group, they are probably just jealous of you".

"Jealous? They call me ugly. That's not being jealous".

He raised a finger at me, "Actually they are jealous of your looks because your appearance is really unique, which makes you special Sakura. Don't ever let anyone tell you wrong about that, ok?"

Suddenly I felt so much better after listening to him, "Thank you Sensei, I'll keep what you said in mind".

"He smiled, "That's my girl!"

The bell rang, which meant that everyone was supposed to get in line to be counted up.

I really didn't pay any attention to who was in front or behind me. Behind me, was Chouji finishing up his chips. It makes me wonder if he ever gets sick of them, but that was the specific brand mom packed me for lunch. It was pretty good! No wonder Chouji is always eating them. He was also one of the targets of those bullies, but for some reason, I had it a lot worse out of everyone else.

I gave him a smile, and he gladly returned it. I faced forward and out of all people, it HAD to be Hiromi.

She gave me the dirtiest look I have ever seen, "EWWW!!!! Why are you behind me? Move somewhere else, I'd rather have fat boy behind me than Ms. Ugly pink forehead girl!"

"No".

I discovered that this word was the only thing I needed to shut her mouth up and turn back forward.

I smiled coyly and walked into the building ready for my next class with I guess my new best friend here at school,

……Iruka Sensei…….

**Author's Note: **Well there you have it, Chapter 17!!!!

I will keep trying to update as fast as I can, I know about your complaints and again I'm sorry my readers. It's going to get better and better from here on out, so keep tuning in!!!!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	18. Isolation

**Author's Note: **hey everyone! So I'm trying to keep my promise of updating faster, and since I am, I would like a lot of people reading and reviewing!!!!!!!!! Here is chapter 18.

**Chapter 18: Isolation**

The year is almost over and for the first time in a while, I would have to say that I am pretty happy about it. I'm sure you know perfectly well why, Kimiko and her group have been the problem this entire year.

I've noticed that this little group has influenced everyone else about the way they should think of me. Now every time I come into the classroom, the people who normally sit with me move away.

They make it so obvious that they don't want to be around me, kids can be so mean.

Kiba and I don't see each other often anymore, because we don't have the same schedule as I unfortunately do with Hiromi and Kimiko.

Those two I can tell are like peas in a pod. They're pretty much attached at the hip! They go everywhere together.

Kimiko officially stopped inviting me to her house and I notice almost every Saturday morning, Hiromi comes to our end of the village to go to Kimiko's house.

I'm not sure if my parents noticed anything, and I just want to keep it that way.

When I go to school, I feel like such an outcast. I'm so..........isolated from everyone else.

Although I'm not getting the treatment I deserve, Shin has made a lot of new friends and I see him bringing them home so they can all play together.

Now that it's spring, the weather is a lot warmer which means that we get to spend our days playing outside.

Usually I stand around and watch everyone else have a lot of fun, and now its stopped bothering me because I talk to Iruka Sensei.

He doesn't mind having me as company. We spend our time talking about so many things, mostly his childhood. Sensei says that I am a lot like his 7 year old self.

He's one of my role models, and I'm glad I get to see him often because he's such good friends with my parents.

Speaking of my parents, both of them are home today. My dad doesn't have any missions this week so mom has been making all of his favorite meals for the past couple days.

As soon as the last bell rang, I gathered my stuff and currently running home. I slowed down my pace while hearing a couple high-pitched voices further down the village road.

They seemed to be having a lot of fun and talking about things like making summer plans together. By the sound of it, these voices belong to none other than Kimiko and Hiromi.

Of course I didn't want to deal with them at the moment so I just made sure not to make my presence be known to them.

The two girls were laughing a lot, and it reminded me of the times Kimiko and I used to laugh about the silliest of things.

I followed them for about 5 minutes until my house came into view, I turned, and they were out of my sight.

Mother must have been waiting for my return because as soon as I climbed up the doorsteps, she immediately opened the door and ushered me into the house.

"Hello honey! How was school today?"

I gave her a suspicious look, "…Just fine mom….."

I sat at the kitchen table and watched as mother added more herbs and ingredients to her dish, it sure smelled delicious!

I left my seat and approached mom, "What's for dinner tonight?"

"I decided to make soba noodles tonight, another one of your father's favorites. I remember on our wedding night, he filled his plate up with these noodles".

I laughed, "Where's dad?"

"Oh he actually took Shin to the park since he got out early today, and speaking of which I can see them from the window that they're about to enter the house! Good timing. Sakura, could you please help set the table?"

I took out the glasses and filled them water and then I pulled the plates out along with forks on the table.

The door opened and Shin came running into the kitchen while mom gave dad a hug, "Takashi, I made Soba noodles for you!!!"

Father grinned and all of us took our seats at the table enjoying tonight's specialty.

I don't know what got into me! I was so hungry, that I pretty much slurped up all of my noodles, and everyone looked at me pretty funny. That also includes Shin.

I finished dinner, took a bath and came back downstairs to spend some more time with family. It was only a Friday night, so what else could I have done? Homework? Puh-lease!

I sat down relaxing on the comfy sofa in our family room using dad's laptop. Everyone finished dinner after a couple minutes and this time, it was father's turn to read Shin a bedtime story.

Mom freshened up, changed into her crème-colored night gown and sat down next to me.

"Hey sweetheart, did you like dinner?"

I turned my attention away from the laptop, "Yeah, it was delicious. I'm sure you could tell by the way I slurped everything up".

She gave me a wide smile and laughed, "Yeah……..hey Saku, mind if I ask you something?"

This got me a little worried, her mood suddenly changed. This is usually a sign that something pretty serious is about to happen.

"Y-Yes mom?"

She looked down at her lap, fiddled with her fingers and then looked back up to meet my eyes, "I-I've noticed………..you've been kind of acting different lately……."

My mouth formed a large O shape, "Oh…….no mom! I'm not acting any different; I'm just being my quiet self".

She put her hand on my head and stroked my pink hair, "Yes you are acting different, you're a lot quieter than your normal self Sakura. You really don't spend that much time with your father and me that much now. I feel like you're just so……………….isolated from everyone………now please tell me, what's bothering you?"

I sighed, "_I guess she had to find out sometime…….I might as well tell her….._"

"W-Well, It's about Kimiko………"

She gave me a surprised look, "Kimiko? What's going on?"

I gathered all of my thoughts together and made sure that I wasn't going to burst out crying, "Kimiko, I guess doesn't want to be my friend anymore……"

"What? I thought everything was going ok! Why doesn't she want be friends anymore?"

"Well mom, I thought that you knew since she hasn't invited me over in forever, but anyway, it all started at the beginning of this year. All of the second graders were required to have a third grade buddy. I guess Kimiko got a little too attached to this girl named Hiromi. For some reason Hiromi doesn't like me, I think it maybe because I look different from anyone else. She calls me a pink-haired forehead freak and gets everyone else to call me these really mean names. Every time I came across Hiromi, I noticed that Kimiko was always with her. What really surprised me was when Kimiko also called me mean names and started acting like I don't even exist. She's shut me completely out of her life and has moved on to some other girls. I don't have any friends now because Hiromi has gotten to everyone to think bad things about me".

Mother looked at me with utter concern and put her arms around me, "Oh that's horrible Sakura……..I'm sorry. You know what? That's Kimiko's problem. If she would rather hang out with Hiromi then you, then that is her loss. She doesn't know what she's missing, so I say you keep ignoring her. Is there anyone else you can talk to about this?"

The thought made me smile, "Iruka Sensei……..He's always been there for me, so we talked a lot about this already. I know it sounds kind of strange, but he is my only friend…….."

"Now hold on a minute, don't forget us………..your family!"

I gave mother a hug and we stayed in this position for about 5 minutes, "Sakura, why don't you get to bed? It's getting a bit late. Night night!"

She kissed me on the cheek and I got into bed.

"_It does hurt not to have any friends, but I guess I'll get through it. After all, I have Iruka Sensei and of course, my family……"_

**Author's Note: **Well there you have it, chapter 18! I hope it was good and please I need more R&R!!!!!!

Chapter 19 is coming soon :)

Sweetness.


	19. Tea Country

**Author's Note: **hello my readers! So here is chapter 19, and seriously I need more R&Rs!!!! Also, this weekend I was not able to update because I spent it over at my grandmother's house. My week is going to be pretty busy but I promise you that I will keep updating. It's either going to be in the next few days or over the weekend. Thanks and enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 19: Tea Country **

The last couple months of second grade passed, and it is now the beginning of summer vacation! Mother went to her conferences and talked to Iruka Sensei about my performance this year. It was pretty mediocre because I was distracted by this entire Kimiko problem.

I found out that Hiromi and a whole bunch of this year's third graders are planning on switching to a different school, thank goodness!

Honestly, I have no idea about how Kimiko feels about this entire situation and I don't plan on seeing her this entire summer. I have a feeling things are going to get pretty awkward between the two of us next year.

Well now I don't need to worry about her, because its summer time!

And speaking of _summer_ my family and I are doing something different this year, we are going on vacation!

Where might you ask? We are going to the Tea Country; it's supposed to be beautiful there. The Tea country is divided into two islands and we will be staying on Nagi Island. My father has been there to use as a rest stop while coming back home from missions, and he says that they have the best tea!

Well they must, since it's called the _tea _country. They have everything from pools to oceans and they even have different activities the guests can do! They have stuff like: snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing, hang gliding, and so much more!

How are we going to get there?

By foot.

It shouldn't be too bad; I mean it's nice to enjoy the fresh air. It takes about an hour or so to get there.

Speaking of getting there, I gotta hurry!

I got dressed for an hour's worth of walking outside and met my family in the foyer of the house.

We carried each of our own bags and left the village. It sure was a nice day, a soft breeze along with plenty of sun.

"_Hopefully the weather will stay like this and I can go to the beach!" _I thought excitedly.

Of course we didn't walk for the entire hour; we took breaks and ate in some small joints in the outskirts of different towns.

The sun seemed to get increasingly brighter and hotter each step I took, I noticed Shin was dragging behind.

"Shin, are you alright?" Asked dad.

I noticed that his face was sweating and he started to pant pretty hard. Both of my parents put there stuff down and walked back over to him.

Mom took out a tissue paper, poured water on it, and wiped Shin's forehead, "Sweetheart are you okay? Do you need water?"

I guess Shin was too tired to speak so instead he just nodded. He took the water bottle and literally chugged the whole thing.

Dad bent down in front of my brother,"Get on my back, you obviously have no energy left".

Without hesitation, he quickly climbed on while mom and I carried the rest of the bags,

After the first rest stop, we continued on our journey without any breaks because we were all determined to get there as quickly as possible.

I kept looking at my flower imprinted watch and, finally, a bridge came into view.

"Oh finally, we're here!" yelled mother.

Dad laughed and we crossed the bridge and entered the Tea country.

It was so…………green; seriously that's how I could describe it. The first thing that greeted us was a wooden sign up on a hill written in yellow characters reading, "Welcome".

Further down, there were plains and fields being cultivated by farmers of all sorts while grazing their livestock. Behind them was the small village and further out were the large, rocky mountains of the country. In those mountains, is apparently where the village gets their water source from. The people have depended on it for thousands of years.

We hauled our luggage for about 1 more mile and as soon as we reached the village, we were greeted by one of the townsfolk.

He looked just like a typical farmer, with the classic straw sticking out of his mouth while giving my family a welcoming smile.

"Hello, you all look like you're new to this town"

He took his hand out of his pocket and shook it with my father.

"Hmmmm….sir I think I've seen you before! Aren't you one of the Konoha ninjas that helped a couple of our farmers retrieve their livestock a couple months ago?"

Dad grinned, "I sure am, I'm Haruno Takashi. This is my wife Rina, my son Shin, and my daughter Sakura".

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you".

"The pleasure is all ours!" exclaimed mom.

"Oh I didn't introduce myself, my name is Hibiki. Where are you staying at?"

"The Tea Country Villa estates" stated my father.

"Ahhhh….what a nice place, our previous guests have had absolutely no complaints about that area. Now instead of carrying all of your luggage let me quickly go and get a cart to save you the trouble".

He walked off and mom started a conversation, "Isn't he so sweet?"

Dad just gave her the "look", "Oh well…..your much sweeter Takashi!"

He gave her a peck on the cheek, "No I agree with you, all of the locals here are very hospitable people".

Hibiki arrived with a large wooden cart, it was loaded with the luggage, and we followed him to our villa.

On the way, Hibiki showed us all of the important landmarks and the country's history. It all seemed so interesting!

"And of course, our country is known for the best tea out of all the nations! You can only get it best served here. I'm sure when you came from the fire country; the first thing you must have seen was the chamise on the border between the two countries".

"Yes! It looked like such a cozy and comforting place. I think once we go back, we should have some fresh tea right Takashi?"

Dad nodded.

"Yes, we have every kind of tea a person could desire. The shop also has a lot of delicious comfort foods like umeboshi-"

"_Umeboshi!? Ok we are definitely going to go to that tea house!"_

My thoughts were interrupted by the gasps of both Shin and my mom, "Mom, dad! Look at that house! It's so big!"

Mom was pretty enthralled by the sight of our villa and its surroundings. Right in front of it was the vast blue ocean and another island a couple miles south.

"Oh also, if you are wondering, that is the O-uzo island. It is best known for the location of the Todoroki Shrine, which is the finish line for the race held every four years. It's just your luck because the 2 families, the Wagarashi and the Wasabi families, will be competing in a couple days!"

"Oh I heard that race is to see which family gets control of the Degarashi Port".

Hibiki nodded, "You've done a lot of research about our country, haven't you? Good for you my lady! Oh well, I need to head back to the village to get some work done. Here are the keys to your villa and I hope you enjoy your stay!"

"Thank you Hibiki for being so generous to us" said dad.

Suddenly I saw mom nudge his shoulder and whisper something which barely passed my ears, "Give him a tip, it's the least we could do".

He sighed and took some money out of his pockets, "Oh also Hibiki, here's a tip for helping us out today".

"Oh thank you so much! I was glad to help such great people like you; I hope to see all of you soon".

He ran off and we watched him until his figure was no longer seen.

We entered our villa and all of us were so……..mesmerized.

There were all of these beautiful interior designs, nice furniture and the rooms were huge!

I quickly took all of my bags to the bedroom and I couldn't believe what I saw……

The walls were a nice crème color, while all of the cabinets and dressers in the room were made of the fresh oak trees in the surrounding area. The curtains were silk and the windows had an ocean view, which was what I really wanted. Next my eyes moved to the bed, it looked so elegant. Whoever designed this room made it fit for a princess! There was a shear, canopy giving privacy to the guest. The pillows had fancy golden embroidery on the silky linen fabric.

I opened the window and enjoyed the view. The cerulean waters of the ocean looked so calm and soothing, the sun hit them perfectly giving it a glow.

I admired the seagulls forming all sorts of shapes in the identical-ocean blue skies, my daydreaming ceased as soon as I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in" I said.

The wooden door opened when an older man came into my room. He was wearing a suit which complemented him very well. He had crows feet, but by the way his eyes were shaped he was giving me a friendly smile. his neatly combed hair and polished shoes showed that this man groomed himself very well, "Hello miss Sakura, my name is Yoshi your butler. Would you like something to eat?

I beamed at him, "Hello, nice to meet you Yoshi".

I followed him down the steps and into the kitchen, my family seemed to already be digging into the buffet.

_"Holy cow, a buffet!?"_

The table was literally filled with all of my favorite foods, and of course, I took a little of everything on my plate.

No wonder Yoshi worked in the hospitality industry! After all he was sweet, personable, and might I add a very good cook!

"Sakura, we just discussed that after we have our lunch, we are heading down to the beach" mom informed me.

I was downright excited, "_The beach! Today just gets better and better"._

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 19, 20 is coming soon!!!!!

Keep reading and reviewing!!!!

Sweetness.


	20. Degarashi Port

**Author's Note: **hi my readers!!!!!! I can't believe that I'm already on my 20th chapter!!! So since I've made it pretty far, and I've devoted my time to this story just so you all can enjoy it, I would really like some R&Rs!!!!!!

**Chapter 20: Degarashi Port  
**

I finished my lunch and thanked Yoshi for this delectable meal and he just responded by patting my head like I was some little kid, well come to think of it, I am a little kid.

Mother gave me my swimsuit to wear and all of us headed out to the beach.

It was so nice just opening the door and finding a beach right in front of you!

The weather was just so perfect, it was really hot and humid making it the perfect time to take a dip in the tropical waters.

Mom set up our large beach chairs in a shaded area, put sunscreen on both me and Shin, and then we both ran into the water. Of course my brother didn't hesitate to see if the water was cold or not, he just jumped right in!

"Come on Sakura! The water is great" he informed me.

I took a couple baby steps until my toes touched the water, it was a bit cold for my taste. I decided to be brave and walk in.

"Sakura, get in the water!" Ordered Shin.

my eyebrows furrowed at his comment, couldn't he just leave me alone? We're on vacation after all.

"Shin, I _am_ in the water".

he crossed his arms, "No you're not, you are standing up. Just get in!"

I sighed, closed my eyes, and quickly put my body in the water. It gave such a cold sensation and sent chills down my body, I wrapped my arms around me and stayed like this for about 5 minutes. Soon I got used to it and splashed around with my brother and relax.

Father brought his camera and took lots of pictures including his own family and the spectacular view of the ocean.

We stayed in the water for a couple of hours and then my parents decided for us to do some sightseeing.

"Sightseeing!? I wanted to stay longer in the water!!!" complained Shin.

mom sighed and put her hand on his shoulder, "Sweetheart we have _plenty _of time left for the beach. Your father and I decided to look at some of the famous landmarks, I'm sure you will like the stuff that have there! So I want you to get ready and change so we can go. Plus, the tea country has some delicious restaurants in the area, be excited for me?"

Shin looked up at my mom who seemed to be giving him a cute puppy-dog like pout. How could you resist that?

"Alright, I'll go....."

mom gave my brother a wide toothy grin, "That's my boy!"

We all went back to our villa, took showers, and changed.

Of course it was warm so I wore a sleeveless green top with a butterfly on the top left, white capris, and some matching sandals to go with it. Mother just tied my hair up into a pony-tail and was basically gushing over my appearance.

Shin and dad were matching with their white aqua-themed T shirts, jean shorts, and casual non matching sandals.

Mom always has to look nice every time she goes out. She wore some nice white slacks, white sandals, and a flower-printed top with a very chic shawl wrapped around. She put her hair up into a bun, giving her a stylish appearance. Sometimes I wish I could be like her. She's so confident when she's out in public. Always willing to make new friends and carries herself very well.

We bid farewell to Yoshi and went on our way, "So......where too Takashi?" inquired mom.

Dad looked at the map, "Well it's been about 2 months since I've been here. Why not go to the Degarashi Port? It's actually a city located on the southeast of the tea country".

"Sure why not? I heard they have a lot of nice shops with beautiful jewelry you can't even find in Konoha".

There she goes again with the jewelry......but she's right anyway. Why spend our time looking for souvenir's?

We walked all the way from our side of the beach to the dock. There, father asked one of the men to jet ski us to Degarashi Port.

In the front of the boat was obviously the driver, in the middle were my parents. Basically my mom was having a conversation with the driver and talking about the exciting places to see while dad would contribute somewhat to the conversation. In the very back were me and Shin, we didn't talk but I was mentally occupied by how fast we were going and listening to the conversation between my parents and the driver.

After about 30 minutes, we arrived to the port, "Well nice meeting you both Takashi and Rina! I hope you all have a nice time at Degarashi Port".

"We sure will! assured my mother.

We left the dock and walked into the small city. There were people bustling about and friendly shop owners with big colorful signs trying to attract costumers.

My mom was distracted by the large jewelry shop a couple blocks down. This place reminded me of a bazaar almost, there were so many stands put up and street performers everywhere trying to win the crowd over with their unique and outrageous tricks.

I started to notice that most of the stores had the names either Waragashi or Wasabi.

"_Hmmm......whoever these Waragashi and Wasabi people are, they must be rich from selling their products from these shops"._

My family walked in and it was nicely done with beautiful gems of all sorts sealed into these glass cases. A woman was standing right behind the assortments of jewels and greeted us with a friendly smile, "Welcome to Wasabi Jewelers! How may I help you today?"

She seemed to snap mother out of her reverie as it took her 5 minutes to snap her out of entrancement from one of the precious items, "Oh! I'm sorry! Well......I was really interested in this particular piece".

I couldn't really tell until the woman pulled it out and my mother does have really good taste! It was a silver bracelet which covered about half the wrist. The ends of the bracelet had what looked like small emerald-green orbs at both ends, and of course she wanted to try it on.

"It looks gorgeous on you!" complemented the shop-keeper.

Mom looked up from the bracelet, "Thank you! How much?"

The woman looked at the tag carefully and read, "Well since this isn't real, this piece it about..........25 yen".

Mom's mouth dropped, "ONLY 25 yen!? I'll take it!"

"Rina, why would you bother buying this piece if it's not real? Not that I want to spend more money on a bracelet".

"Takashi, you wouldn't know because you're not a woman. I'll tell you anyway, it's because it definitely looks like a Wasabi piece! Of course I wouldn't even bother telling anyone that It's not real, just let them think it is!"

I have to agree with dad on this one, why must there be so much competition with jewelery and clothes!? Like him, I also will never understand women even though I am going to be one someday.....

While mother bought the bracelet she turned to the shop-keeper and asked, "Do you also have an matching earrings to go with this?"

The woman nodded, "No I'm sorry, we don't. Have you looked at any of the other shops?"

"Well the only other shop is Wagarashi Jewelers and I don't like anything they have there! Everything looks so......gaudy. Definitely not my type".

The Jeweler thought about it for a minute, "Hmmm....if you are really interested in getting something matching pieces you can talk to the head of the Wasabi clan yourself. He manages practically all of his businesses, I'm sure he can help you out. Here is his card which has his address, his name is Jirocho Wasabi".

Mom took the card and put it in her purse, "Thank you so much for all your help! I'll most likely come back before we leave!"

The woman smiled, "It was nice having you here".

We headed out of the shop and mother took out the card, "Hmmm....maybe I should visit this Jirocho today".

Dad sighed, "Oh no you don't Rina. Let's relax today, we can see Jirocho tomorrow. How about eating some dinner?"

"Oh alright".

We walked around town and came across a small ramen noodle shop, "Sakura, Shin, do you guys want to eat ramen?"

"Sure" I calmly said.

"YES!" screamed Shin.

We entered the shop, and it gave us that warm comforting atmosphere with the delicious aromas of broth and noodles coming from the kitchen.

"Welcome! how many tonight?"

"Four" stated dad.

"Alrighty then, please follow me".

The host led us to a four seated table next to the window, we all took our seats, and looked our menus.

"Mmmmm....All of this looks delicious! Have you guys decided yet?" asked mom.

"Mom I think I want the beef ramen!"

She nodded, "Ok.....how about you Sakura?"

I continued to skim through the menu. The description beef ramen looked pretty good:

_A hot and steamy mix of herbs and tender, well-cooked beef all mixed together in a freshly-made broth._

"I think I'll take the beef ramen too".

"How about you Takashi?"

"Beef is good".

She closed her menu, "I guess beef is good for me then too!"

The water arrived, poured glasses of water for each of us and took our 4 orders of beef ramen.

As usual mom tried starting a conversation, "Having fun kids?"

I smiled, "Yup…….."

Suddenly the signs outside the window caught my eye,"Mom, dad".

They both looked at me curiously, sensing something serious.

Father was the first one to speak up, "Yes Sakura?"

"I was kind of curious……..why is it that the Wasabi and Waragashi clans are the ones who own everything?"

Dad was easily able to answer the question, "Well, they are the wealthiest of the Tea Country".

"Oh……." I said.

The waiter came and set down our dinner, "Alright everyone please enjoy your beef ramen! It is the best seller here".

He left and we began eating our supper.

"MMMMM!!! It's delicious!!!" Shin exclaimed as he took his first bite.

After his reaction, I was all the more curious to give it a try. The taste just lingered in my mouth after taking the first bite. Just like atmosphere of the restaurant, the ramen also gave me a feeling of warmth and comfort. The beef was so juicy and tender, while the herbs in the broth helped to bring out the beef's natural flavors.

Even my own mother didn't even talk for the longest time.

"_I guess everyone is enjoying their ramen"_.

After about half an hour we finished our meal, paid, and went outside.

"Oh Takashi, there is supposed to be a parade later on tonight!"

"Parade?" questioned dad.

"Yes, it is a celebration for the race coming up in a couple days!"

"Alright, so let's stay here longer for the celebration then".

Mom gave dad a big bear hug like she was a child, "I am so excited! Also, every single shop in this city will be having a sale!!!"

After that sentence she dragged us for some more shopping.

It took about 2 hours and my legs were killing me! Mom had so many bags full of junk! What's so great about getting a handbag anyway? Why does it have to be so stylish?

Shin and I stood outside the shop waiting for mom and dad, my thoughts stopped as soon as I saw a 4 year old boy pointing at something.

"_What's he pointing at?"_

My question was answered as soon as I saw a colorful display of fireworks in the black sky.

There were a variety of different colors. From bright greens to blues to yellows to oranges and pinks! Lot's of pastels.

Then I noticed from the front of the port, colorful lanterns were seen. Then as the lights came closer, I noticed that there were dancers holding them and loud music began to play. After the dancers were men and women clad in green kimonos serving tea to everyone.

"What's going on out here?" asked mom.

"The festival!" answered Shin.

An older man came up to my parents and served them, from what smelled like, Jasmine tea.

"Please enjoy our country's finest!"

"Oh my god! It is their country's finest! Takashi we need to get some more before we leave".

I'm sure dad inwardly agreed; he was too busy sipping his tea.

Then, next in line were a bunch of performing acrobatics. I was stunned and amazed by their talents, earning cheers and claps from the audience. Their clothing matched the fire works, which was what made them appealing to the eye.

After the ribbon dance twirling act, a man wearing a tea cup costume appeared. I think he was just there for laughs, and I was one of the many who joined in.

The festival lasted for about an hour or so until the daimyo appeared in the middle of the city square.

"Hello citizens and tourists of the Tea Country! I hope you enjoyed this festival and hope to come out and watch the race between the Wagarashi and Wasabi clans. For those of you who don't know, this race has been held here in the tea country for thousands of years and will forever remain a tradition of our land. Now the race is just about less then a couple days away and the representative runners will start at the gates of the Degarashi Port, so this is where all of the spectators will meet. Thank you all for your attention, have a nice night, and I will see you all in a couple days!"

After the daimyo's speech, everyone clapped and the shops were starting to close up.

"Alright kids, let's head back! We have a long day tomorrow with this Jirocho Wasabi….."

I sighed, "_Great more jewelry……" _

My excitement returned as I started to think about the race in a couple days.

**Author's Note: **So this was chapter 20, I hope you all liked it! Please R&R and chapter 21 will be up soon.

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	21. The History of the Two Clans

**Author's Note: **Hey!!!! So tell me if you really like this story, I need more reviews!!!!! Please feel free to give me any suggestions. I would like some criticism to improve this story.

**Chapter 21: History of the Wasabi and Wagarashi Clans**

I love the Tea Country! Especially last night's festival, honestly, I wish Konoha could be like that.

My family at breakfast and headed off to find Jirocho Wasabi, apparently he is the current clan leader. He must be filthy rich!

"Bye Yoshi! Thanks again for breakfast, it was delicious. We will be back for dinner!" informed mom.

We climbed aboard the small boat and headed for the Wasabi compound. The ride only took about 5 minutes and when we got to the headquarters. I was surprised that the family really didn't spend much time decorating their compound. It was just a plain white color with a wooden fortress guarding it from the outside world.

"Well, looks like this is the place" mom inferred.

We walked closer and she knocked on the door, it was answered by an elderly woman clad in a maroon kimono. She looked pretty distressed and I'm sure in this state, she didn't want any visitors at the moment.

"How can I help you?"

"My wife has a meeting with someone named Jirocho Wasabi" stated dad.

"Oh, you have a meeting with my son? Well I don't know if I can-"

"Please! I have a question about one of his businesses" mother cut in.

The older woman sighed, "Alright, I suppose I can let you in. Please follow me".

She let us in the compound. As we walked down the empty hallways, the pictures were the only things present in the corridors. By the looks of it, these photos were of the history of the Tea country and the Wasabi clan.

After about 10 minutes of silence, we stopped, and the woman knocked on a door.

"Come in" a muffled voice said.

She opened the door and inside was a man with gray hair, wearing a blue robe over a green hakima. His jaw line was pretty strong and rigid and his dark-gray eyebrows rose as soon as he watched us enter the room.

"Jirocho, this woman insisted that she discuss some business with you".

"Thank you mother".

She left the room and Jirocho continued to speak to my mother, "Yes ma'am? How may I help you?"

Mom took out the bracelet she bought yesterday, "I bought this piece and the woman who worked there told me that this particular bracelet doesn't have any matching earrings. Are there any more shops located even out of the tea country, which may have something to go with it?"

"Excuse me may I ask what your name is?"

She smiled, "Oh my name is Rina, Haruno Rina".

Jirocho clasped his hands together, "Well Rina, the Wasabi clan……..has not been able to export any of our products for a long time……"

She gave him an incredulous look, "Why is that?"

"The Wagarashi clan has controlled the Degarashi Port for a long time now because they keep winning the races every four years. Although, I hope this year we can win because of a special young man training under me. His name is Morino Ibiki".

"Does this guarantee a victory for the Wasabi clan?" questioned father.

"I hope so……I've been training him for four years now. The Wagarashi clan's star runner has always been Fukusuke Hikyakuya, he's fast…………….very fast".

"Why don't I train him the couple days you guys have left?" father suggested.

Jirocho raised a brow, "You? How good are your skills exactly Haruno?"

Dad smirked, "Trust me I know what I'm doing. My village didn't place me on the ANBU blackcop squad for nothing; I will be testing his speed and ability".

"Alright, you can train him tomorrow morning. IBIKI!"

The door opened and a young man who looked about 20 came in the room, "Yes master Jirocho?"

"Tomorrow morning, you will be trained by Haruno……."

"Takashi" father interrupted.

"Right…….Haruno Takashi will be training you tomorrow will help you on your speed".

"Agreed sir" Ibiki obeyed.

He left the room and mother proceeded to ask Jirocho a question, "Wasabi-san, what exactly is the big deal about this race?"

Well, both the Wasabi and Waragashi clans have been feuding for thousand and thousands of years. When the Tea Country was created, these two clans obviously wanted control of this entire region. The only way to settle it was bloodshed, and about 100 years ago, the daimyo of the time decided it would be more civil to hold a race. Instead of gaining power over the entire country, the winning clan would take control of the Degarashi Port. I'm sure you noticed that our compound is not in the best of shape because we have not been able to export our products since we haven't had control of the port in who knows how long".

"I'm…….I'm sorry to hear that Jirocho-san".

He reassured my mother, "No Rina, don't be sorry. I think I have now found the perfect candidate as representative of the Wasabi. I'm sure Ibiki will impress Takashi and will be able to for once and for all, defeat the Wagarashi clan. When we win Rina, all of the Wasabi Jewels will be open everywhere for you to buy".

"Thank you so much Jirocho-san and we'll meet back here in the morning to help train Ibiki".

We bid the Wasabi clan leader farewell and went back home for some freshly-prepared dinner by Yoshi. After eating, everyone quickly went to bed for the next day.

The next morning again we took the boat and arrived at the Wasabi compound. We found Ibiki standing next to Jirocho, "Welcome Takashi, Rina, and children".

"_Children!? We have names!!!!"_

"Takashi, he is all yours".

Jirocho left and I was excited to see how exactly father was going to train Ibiki.

"Alright Ibiki, since this is a race I am going to test your endurance. I don't care if your opponent is faster than you; if he doesn't have to stamina then he won't succeed. So first, I want you to direct your chakra to your feet in order to prepare yourself".

I watched as Ibiki closed his eyes and put his feet together, I saw blue chakra surrounding his body.

"_That must be some powerful stuff"._

Without hesitation, dad threw a kunai at Ibiki while he was too busy concentrating.

"_What's dad thinking? He's going to kill the poor guy!"_

"Takashi!"

"Relax Rina I know what I'm doing. He's a skilled ninja".

I closed my eyes, but I didn't hear a pain-filled scream. I opened them and found that Ibiki already moved to the other side of the training ground.

"Good" dad applauded.

"Ibiki, I want you to run around this field as fast as you possible can. I will time you".

"Of course Takashi-san".

Ibiki stretched his legs and began running. He was so fast that I could barely see him. How many laps did he run exactly?

"Keep going Ibiki, you're on your 25th lap!" cheered Shin.

About an hour later, Ibiki ceased running and walked back to father to check his time.

"This can't be………Ibiki, your time is………only 25 minutes. I think you're ready for this race".

"Thank you Takashi-san. I should really owe it all to Jirocho-san, he made me this way".

"No, not really. You put your heart and soul into this for man years; you should be giving yourself a pat on the back. I'll see you in a couple days".

Ibiki ran back inside and we ended up spending the whole day at the Wasabi compound.

Over dinner, Jirocho and my father discussed things like both the domestic and foreign affairs of the Tea country and other nations. Shin and I enjoyed the food while mom and Jirocho-san's mother talked about his different businesses and how successful they were. Then his mother and mine left the room to look at some of the jewelry Jirocho plans to export after the race.

That's when I watched Ibiki closely. He had a serious look on his face and was quiet pretty much the entire day. I noticed his two scars scarring his tanned skin; I wonder where he got those from. He left the table before I could study him any further.

It seemed like father noticed Ibiki's behavior too when Jirocho-san told him, "No, he's always been like that ever since his parents died. A couple of assassins hired by the Wagarashi clan murdered them, and ever since, Ibiki has been under my wing training harder for the sake of his parents".

I felt so sorry for him. It must be so difficult losing your loved ones.

"You know what's a little strange about him Takashi?"

Dad looked up to meet Jirocho's eyes, "What?"

"I can't describe it…….whenever Ibiki fought enemy soldiers, he's always had a way with controlling what they think somehow……he has sort of a knack for mentally torturing them. He mentions things which really get to his enemy, which is usually how he either scares them off or scars them for life".

"Is that so?"

"Yes it is".

It looked like dad was up to something, "Well is that's the case, how about you let Ibiki come back home to Konoha with us? We need someone to head the ANBU interrogation force".

"Are you sure about this Takashi?"

Dad grinned, "I know so. Ibiki has a lot of potential. When I trained him, I was completely awed by his skills and techniques. He is a gifted ninja, and our village could use someone like him".

"I don't know…………I'll think about it".

"Let me know after the race Jirocho".

He nodded and we left for the day.

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 21. The next one is coming soon.

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	22. The Race

**Author's Note: **hey readers! Ok I want to cover something with you all first. Apparently there have been some questions whether Konoha nine and sasuke will be in this fanfiction. Of course they will! Konoha Nine will appear will appear in a few chapters, I'm just trying to get through her childhood. For all of those sasusaku fans, be very patient. I'm saving Sasuke to come up later after Sakura gets to know the Konoha nine. I am trying to update quickly so I can get to those points, here is chapter 22!

**Chapter 22: The Race**

My family and I spent the past couple days at the beach. My father decided to do so to take a break from all of that shopping, courtesy of my mother.

Currently I am getting dressed because today is the big day for the race between the Wagarashi and Wasabi clans! I was really looking forward to this. If only I was at that age to gamble, not that I actually would because mom said its wrong, I would most likely bet on Ibiki. His speed and endurance is amazing! Dad is actually right, Konoha could use someone like him on the ANBU force.

"SAKURA, HURRY!!!!! THE RACE IS GOING TO START IN A COUPLE OF HOURS, I WANT TO GET A GOOD VIEW!!!!" cried mom.

"_Jeez…..will she ever give me a break?"_

I finished changing into a simple pair of shorts and a T-shirt, put my sneakers on, and went followed my family out the door.

As usual, we took a boat but this time Yoshi came with us. Well why in the world would he want to miss out on a big opportunity like this? I'm sure that the entire country, and maybe even tourists like my family, will be watching this race.

We were dropped off at the dock and headed to the gate of Degarashi Port.

Mother literally ran and dragged all of us to get good spots to watch the race.

We stood on the highest point of one of the gates of the port and waited until mom spoke up, "Hey why don't you guys wait here, I want to look at some shops".

Dad made a face, "No Rina, I know that you are going to take too long and will end up forgetting about this race. Just sit here and wait, we have about 45 minutes left until it starts".

She sighed, "Alright……"

He turned back to her, "When the race is over, there are sales. That is the time when you can shop as much as you like".

Mom gave him a kiss on the cheek. I swear sometimes she acts so childish.

We sat waiting for about 15 minutes until father spotted Jirocho giving Ibiki what looks like some sort of a pep talk.

"Hey, why don't we go down there and stand by Jirocho?"

Mom looked to where dad was pointing, "Sure, why not? Let's go kids".

We left our seats and met up with Jirocho and Ibiki.

"How's everything going Ibiki?" father asked greeting him with a smile.

Ibiki continued stretching, "I think everything is going to be okay……"

Father put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure everything is going to be fine. After all you trained so long for this race, you will make everyone proud".

"See I told you everything is going to be alright Ibiki! Stop worrying about things" added Jirocho.

"Also remember that we will all be cheering you on" mother assured him.

He smiled and the daimyou spoke up, "Alright everyone! Please take your places and let's watch this race!"

Everyone clapped and cheered while watching Ibiki and his opponent get ready.

"Now before we begin, let me explain the rules. Here we have to representatives of both the Wasabi and Wagarashi clans. When I countdown from the number 10, the gates will be opened and they will run to the Modoroki shrine. From this shrine, they will be required to take at least one of two jewels: the Dragon or the Tiger. After retrieving them, the competitors must make it to Todoroki Shrine located on O'uzu Island. As a crowd, we will meet them there. I already have plenty of boats set up to meet them at the finish line".

"Now let us begin the countdown".

"10"

Ibiki looked pretty nervous.

"9"

He was sweating and breathing deeply.

"8"

He closed eyes to keep himself calm and at peace.

"7"

He set up his legs to give himself a push off the ground.

"6"

At this point everyone was chanting.

"5"

Ibiki faced the gates in front of him.

"4"

He looked like he was muttering something.

"3"

I'm sure it was some sort of prayer.

"2"

The daimyou began to raise his flag.

"1"

The trumpets were blown.

"GO!"

And off the two went.

"_Good luck Ibiki……." _I prayed for him.

The gates opened and they ran as fast as they could, after about 10 minutes their figures disappeared.

Everything was still and quiet until some random man stepped onto the starting line and yelled, "Hey everyone! Let's bet on the two competitors!"

"_Why would these idiots gamble!? It could be either way, the other guy is pretty fast too"._

But I continued to put my faith into Ibiki. I knew for a fact he would make it, he had too.

All of the men left their spots and starting gambling, things were getting out of hand.

The Daimyou sure didn't look too happy, "Now wait a minute! There is no gambling in my country!"

That started a riot……..

"Hey I thought you said that this was this was everyone's country!"

"Yeah just because you have a title, doesn't mean that you make the choices for us. You are just representing what we think is right!"

"Wait!"

All eyes turned to the source of the voice.

The man was very well-built. He has beady looking eyes with a smirk on his square-shaped face. He looked pretty cocky to me….

The man approached the Daimyou, "Well since this is a competition between the two clans, why don't the two clans have ourselves a little wager?"

Jirocho stepped in, "What kind of wager Kyuuroku?"

Kyuuroku's wry smirk failed to disappear from his face, "How about if your guy wins………the Wasabi clan may take control all of the businesses outside of the Degarashi Port, and the same goes for my clan if my guy wins………what do you say?"

Suddenly father broke up the crowd, "No, Jirocho don't do this! All of your hard work will go to waste; do you really want everything you worked so hard for being controlled by your enemy?"

Not once did Jirocho face my father, "Deal".

There were gasps and murmurs heard everywhere, and the crowd broke up. The daimyou had no choice but to agree to these terms.

"Jirocho! What have you done!? You're ruining everything for yourself and your clan, why couldn't you think of them!?"

"Relax Takashi…….I did this because I want to show Kyuuroku that I'm no quitter. I didn't give up training Ibiki for this day, that I knew for a fact that my clan will defeat the Wagarashi clan".

Jirocho walked off to discuss some important matter with the daimyou.

"Takashi, what do you think is going to be the outcome of this race?"

He still faced the gates almost like foreseeing the future, "I…….don't know Rina, I don't know…….."

"Everyone!"

The crowd turned to face the daimyou, "Ibiki and Fukusuke will be arriving shortly to the finish line. Let us climb aboard the boats set up along the shore".

Everyone literally ran to get a boat.

We shared one with Jirocho and sailed over to the Todoroki Shrine.

After about 15 minutes we arrived and waited at the finish line. All was quiet and still until, "EVERYONE! HERE COMES SOMEONE!"

I watched as Jirocho's fists tightened.

"_C'mon Ibiki, you can do this! I know you can!" _I inwardly supported him.

The dark figure came closer and closer, we waited patiently for about 5 minutes.

I was just too nervous to look, so instead, I closed my eyes.

After about a minute or so, I heard the crowd cheering. I put my hands down and found Ibiki gasping for air while holding Fukusuke".

The crowd approached Ibiki and congratulated him.

"The winner of the race is Ibiki, the representative of the Wasabi clan!" The daimyou proudly proclaimed.

Suddenly Kyuuroku approached the crowd and approached the daimyou, "No! This is impossible! Don't you see? Ibiki is clearly holding _my _representative! He must have done something to sabotage this race!"

All eyes turned to Ibiki, "No not at all. I got to the Modoroki shrine and took both of the jewels; I headed back up the staircase and found Fukusuke lying there".

The daimyou sighed, "I……honestly, I'm not sure what to do in this situation. How about we send Fukusuke to the infirmary and wait for the results".

Everyone agreed and left.

My family and I got ready the next morning and headed over to the Todoroki Shrine where Fukusuke's condition was to be announced.

"Welcome everyone! It appears that Ibiki was right, Fukusuke fainted………"

Gasps were heard all over the crowd.

"Why did he faint!?" someone asked.

"Well, it appears that the paramedics found an unnatural fluid in this young man's system".

The daimyou reached into his pocket and took out a bottle. The liquid was clear; it looked a lot like water.

"Fukusuke cheated using this muscle enhancement serum. Kyuuroku you must have known all about his haven't you?"

Before Kyuuroku could answer for himself someone else did it for him, "Yes! Kyuuroku was responsible for everything!"

The said man glared at this person, "Shut it Arata!"

"It's too late now, I am sick and tired of being your slave, this is exactly what you deserve!"

The daimyou cut them off, "Well since Arata is right, I guess the Wasabi clan won the race while the Wagarashi's suffer a sever punishment".

"W-What's that?" Kyuuroku questioned while gulping in an undignified manner.

The daimyou continued, "Your shops and businesses will be closed down for 5 years. You will be required to work as a regular citizen would. By doing so, you will know how it feels to actually work for a living. These poor souls have been doing more than required of your dirty work".

The Wagarashi clan left and Jiricho thanked us for our help, "Takashi, Rina, children-"

There he goes with _children _again…….we have names you know!

"Thank you for all you've done to help me".

"No Jirocho, I haven't done a thing, it was all your hard work to train Ibiki for all of these years".

Speaking of Ibiki, he arrived and greeted us.

Father turned to speak to him, "Ibiki, great job today".

"Thank you sir".

"Listen, I was thinking……Konoha could really use someone like you on our ANBU force. We need a head for our interrogation squad, and I think that you may be perfect for the job".

Ibiki immediately turned to Jirocho for his answer, "I don't see why not, you go on ahead".

"But…….Jirocho-san, I can't leave my brother here……."

"Don't worry; Idate will be in good hands. Just like you, I will also train him for the next race. Please come by and visit when you get the chance".

Ibiki nodded, "I will".

We spent the next couple days at the tea country relaxing, and by the final day, we left for Konoha with Ibiki alongside us.

"_I think he'll do great and fit right in as the head of the interrogation force"_.

I know I'm right. After all, Ibiki does great at everything he puts his mind too.

**Author's Note: **Hey!!!! Hope you liked this chapter!!!! Chapter 23 will be up shortly.

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	23. The Move

**Author's Note: **hey my readers, here I am updating the next day to make you guys happy. I'm glad you all like the story, like I said before Konoha nine will gradually be thrown into the story. Sasuke will come later, so keep reading and find out!!!!!

Now, on to chapter 23!

**Chapter 23: The Move**

After the vacation to the Tea Country, I've been doing nothing but going to the lake in the hot sun.

My parents really enjoyed it, and are dying to go back someday. My father has been taking Ibiki to work with him so he can train to become head of the interrogation force.

My mom was also making both Shin and I do some summer work to get ahead for the school year.

Speaking of _school year_, it's started. Now I am in the third grade, I've actually been pretty nervous about the whole thing. It's not that I was thinking it was going to be harder. The only problem is going to be………

Kimiko.

I haven't heard from her all summer, and it's not like I can just avoid her at school. Well, let's just see how it all goes today.

I woke up, put my uniform on, ate breakfast, and walked to school with Shin.

Today is his first day of second grade. I'm sure with his personality he'll make even more friends.

It was usually how every school year started. Chiyo-san would make a speech to the second graders and we as a third grade class would become their buddies.

There would be an orientation to all of my classes, and thankfully, Iruka Sensei is still my teacher. It doesn't matter if I don't have Kimiko, sensei is here with me. That is all that matters.

All of us were let out for recess, and as usual, I would spend my time talking to Iruka Sensei.

We would basically talk about our summers and our plans for the coming year. I told him about my adventures in the Tea Country, everything from the race to history of the feuding clans.

Well of course, I didn't even need to explain. Iruka Sensei knew exactly what I was talking about, apparently, he was also a witness to a couple of these races. He says that in a couple days, he will be one of the proctors testing the candidates for the head of the interrogation force.

He won't have any problems choosing Ibiki for the job.

As we kept our conversation going, Kimiko came outside and sat down by herself. Sensei seemed to notice that I kept my focus on her.

"Sakura, remember what I told you. You should probably stay away from Kimiko".

I thought about it for a little bit, "_Well…..she hasn't done anything to hurt me yet. Maybe I should just take sensei's word for it…._"

I turned to face him, "Iruka Sensei, Hiromi doesn't go here anymore does she?"

He nodded, "No she doesn't. I guess Chiyo-san got sick of her behavior in her classes and all of the complaints from the teachers that she decided to expel her".

He spoke again after 5 minutes of comforting silence, "Well, actually. If Kimiko is trying to talk to you, just don't ignore her. Also, don't let your guard down too easily either. That's also what makes a ninja to become successful".

"Sensei, when are we starting our ninja training?"

He grinned, "As soon as ninja training is over".

Ironically the bell rang, everyone headed inside.

"Hello everyone I hope you had a great recess. Now we will be heading out to the academy's training grounds for some ninja training. Let's go".

We followed him outside and walked around to the back of the school. There, tall wooden pillars with targets were set up".

"Now that you are in the third grade, it is time for you to start some of the basic training. The first and foremost is learning how to throw the kunai and the shuriken; you need to make sure you are able to control your aim by channeling your chakra. Everyone grab a kunai and shuriken, and start!"

I took both a kunai and a shuriken from Sensei and walked back to my wooden pillar. There was a large red and white target, placed right in the middle".

"_It's like he wants to make this too easy for us……."_

I picked up my kunai and held the very tip. My eyes made direct contact with the white, bull's eye spot. From there, I drew my arm back and threw the weapon.

But to my disappointment, it hit the very edge of the target.

"_How am I not getting the bulls eye!? Dad and I have been working on chakra control for a while now_".

"Need help Sakura?" Sensei asked with concern.

I was too embarrassed to look at where I even hit the target; Sensei must have caught my blush.

He bent down next to me and took another kunai, "Don't be embarrassed Sakura. You're just learning, remember that. At a young age, it takes a while to open up your chakra flows in your body no matter how much training you do. Now watch what I do".

I looked intently at his finger positioning. He only held the end of the kunai with his two index fingers. The blade was turned slightly to make it turn a little.

"Now do you see what I'm doing? Concentrate the chakra from your fingers and keep it flowing while bending the two fingers. When you're sure that you can certainly feel that energy flow all the way to your finger tips, gently throw the kunai".

I watched as he let go. The speed was what amazed me, and it ended up hitting the bulls eye!

"Don't worry you'll get it with time. Just keep practicing".

And I practiced every day. There was no way I was going to give up! For the past many months I devoted my recess time to have better control and aim at throwing these weapons. By the end of the year, I was able to get it!

The last couple weeks before school ended, things seemed to change. I noticed that a lot of the younger kids seemed to look up to me, and even follow me around!

I did somewhat better in my academics then last year, and my parents want me to do even better next year.

"Ok kids, this is going to be your last practice before the school year ends. Show me how much you have practiced!"

Everyone starting throwing their skuriken and kunai around.

All of my hard work paid off when majority of the time, I was able to hit the bulls eye!

After I finished, I noticed Kimiko was having a lot trouble.

"_Should I help her?_"

I continued to watch her struggle and get frustrated, until I decided to be a good person and help her.

"Need any help?" I timidly asked.

She looked at me, and at that point, I was scared of what she was going to say.

"Yeah……I think I could use some".

I approached her and walked her through the steps Iruka Sensei taught me. Quickly, she made a drastic improvement in her skills.

"Great job Kimiko, Well it's getting late. I got to head back home; I hope you have a nice summer".

"Wait!"

I turned back to look at her, she approached me and started crying.

"S-Sakura…..I-I'm s-sorry……sorry for everything I did to you. I was being a horrible friends letting Hiromi get to me like this. She didn't even treat me as a friend, I felt like her slave doing everything she told me to do. I've learned my lesson, and this won't happen ever again……I can't believe I let her get in the way of our friendship…….."

I gave her a hug, "I forgive you……to make up for it we can spend the rest of the summer together".

She sniffled and pulled away from the hug, "About that……..I'm moving back to the rain village….."

"Y-You're moving?"

"Yeah……my grandparents are ill, so my parents want to spend a lot of time with them. Plus, my father found a job there. That way, we can spend a lot of time with them".

"Oh……….when are you moving?"

"Next week……" she informed me,

"Well, since I'm moving next week……..let's get together more often before the big day".

I nodded, "Okay".

For the next couple of days, Kimiko and I have been inseparable. We did everything together.

We started again with our tradition of laughing and talking about the silliest of things.

It seemed like all of our time together flashed by. Before we knew it, the big day arrived.

I woke up that morning upset and went with my mom over to Kimiko's house. When we got there, I found Kimiko's parents finishing up some last minute adjustments.

A couple of large burly men took the heavy furniture and loaded everything up in their carts.

Aiko-san and my mother exchanged a few last words and bid each other farewell.

Kimiko came outside of the house and gave me one last hug, "Sakura, It was fun spending time with you these past few days. I wish that I spent my last couple years here with you instead of Hiromi and her group. I was glad though that you were the last person from this village I was with my last couple days here. I know that I'll be living somewhere far away, but I will still and always remember you as my first true friend".

And with those last few words, she left with her family back to the rain village.

I stood there planted on the same spot for a while, thinking about all of the times we spend together.

I lost Kimiko………

And I never saw her again.

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 23. I know sad right? Read and Review soon!!!! Chapter 24 will be on its way.

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	24. Epiphany

**Author's Note: **hello, here is another chapter! Before you read, I would like to give special thanks to some of my readers:

**StarS 009**

**xXAsuka-chanXx**

**CrushinSammygirl**

**Pyro-manic19**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

Not sure if I forgot anyone, anyway, on with this next chapter!

**Chapter 24: Epiphany**

You know practically every single person I've known has said to me that middle school years are in fact the worst of a person's life.

They are right.

After graduating from the lower school, I was hoping that this next step would be a lot better for me. I guess not.

For some reason in sixth grade, I was extremely introverted. More than I ever was in my childhood.

When I hit seventh grade, my grades plummeted and my parents were disappointed in me. Always comparing me to how well Shin was doing, they want me to set a good example for my recently born brother, Wataru.

Of course being the rebel I was, I didn't listen to them. Instead I caused even more tension in the household. My mom would usually be the one yelling at me and my father would tell her to calm down, resulting in the silent treatment between each other.

I would get so upset and angry at the littlest of things, everything was so……difficult.

Iruka Sensei had no idea what got into me at that time, I had a bad reputation amongst all of the teachers.

I good poor grades and on top of that plenty of _detentions_. The detentions were mainly for not turning in homework assignments on time.

Although……..there was one time where during math class when I got a horrible test grade. Then again, I always got horrible grades in math.

I couldn't stand my math teacher, no one liked her. I could tell she didn't like me either. She required us to get those tests signed by our parents.

What did I do in that situation?

Well, I didn't want either of them to see my grade. So I decided to do the unthinkable.

I forged my mother's signature.

I know what you're thinking!

How and why in the world would Haruno Sakura do such a thing?

Well……like I said, I was a rebel.

Of course I got caught in the end, but still, I continued to so and ended up being grounded for the entire year.

Middle school was also a time when most kids didn't fit in well, and I happened to be one of them.

In my grade, there were either two specific groups of girls you could have joined: The "populars" or the……….."other" group.

Of course I decided to stick with the "others".

It was a fairly large group with girls who were a bunch of sadists and put too much makeup on. By everyone else, they were considered gothic.

I did not consider myself a gothic; I just hung out with them because there wasn't really anyone else.

It was kind of strange; within this group were smaller sub groups. One of the subgroups I became better friends with then the other.

It was made up of three girls.

The first was a girl named Kawabata Mitsuko.

The other two were Yamanaka Ino and Hyuuga Hinata.

Ino had long blonde hair and blue eyes; she actually talked to a lot of people but continued to stay mainly in her circle.

Hinata had short black hair and the most unique pair of pearl eyes I've ever seen. She was always a very shy girl.

Like Ino, Mitsuko also had blonde hair but she tended to keep it in a braid rather than a ponytail.

We were okay friends, not the best, but we got along.

Middle school was also the time when I got my first major crush.

What was his name?

Ryu Daichi.

He was actually someone who I never expected to crush on, but in the eighth grade, it happened.

Iruka Sensei says that as a ninja, rhetoric and public speaking are really important. It factors in with using diplomacy to appease nations. We all had to pick speeches and recite them in front of our grades. Besides me, Daichi was also a finalist along with two other girls named Chizu and Cho. These two were of the "popular" group, and always made it as finalists.

On the actual day of the competition I was pretty nervous about the whole thing. I spent practically the entire year preparing for my piece!

While sitting in my seat, Chizu tapped my shoulder and said to me, "Daichi says good luck".

I looked past her and found him waving and smiling at me. Then suddenly, I got this weird ticklish feeling in my stomach and started blushing.

When my name was called, I walked up to the stage and began reciting. My volume was great, but the problem was, that I faced the ceiling. I didn't even look at my audience!

I think that's what cost me this competition. Anyway, Daichi won and I congratulated him.

He was too cute with his dark brown hair and light brown eyes. I know it's a plain description, but for some reason, he really attracted me. The guy even has pale skin, way lighten than mine, but I didn't care at that point.

There was even more news to be upset about at that time. I found out that my eldest cousin, Ichiro, passed away.

He was killed in action and was buried in the cemetery dedicated to Konoha's greatest ninja.

It was upsetting, but that was his duty. At least, that's what mother said to make both of us feel better.

I remember when my entire family found out, it started to rain.

My aunt Shiemi fainted when she found out about her son's death.

Thousands of people came to his funeral, because he touched too many lives in positive ways.

That night, I asked myself, "_Do things happen for a reason?_"

For about 2 months even after Ichiro's death mourners would come and pray for him.

People stopped coming, and things became more depressing……

At school, Daichi suddenly started to avoid me. I thought we were going to become friends after this whole thing but he would always avoid eye contact with me every time I looked at him.

He kept at it for so many months, and it was really bothering me.

My grades dropped because I was much too concentrated on Daichi at this point. Again my parents would lecture me about my performance in school, but it didn't get through to me. My mother would always ask why I wasn't doing well.

"It's not like anything is going on between your father and I that's distressing you" she would say.

Of course I wouldn't tell her they were dropping because of Daichi, my father would pull me out of the academy for sure!

On the day of the eighth grade graduation, everyone was supposed to be paired up boy girl style and walk across the stage with them.

I really wanted Daichi, but he ended up getting some "popular" girl.

I ended up being partners with Uzumaki Naruto. The guy was a bit annoying at times, but overall, he was ok.

Come to think of it, he's pretty cute. I guess I'm glad that I got him.

The part that really made me made was that I was only three people away from Daichi!!!!!

You know what's ridiculous? All of the "popular" girls came in wearing prom dresses, when the teachers specifically said not to. I was inwardly laughing the whole day.

I got to make a speech about the principal of the middle school and his thirty years of working at the academy. This time, I was able to make eye contact with the audience but you could tell that I had major stage fright. I was trying to multitask. Obviously my first objective was to deliver the speech successfully, which was a complete failure and an embarrassment to myself. My second objective was to take a sneak peek at Daichi. The whole time I was curious to know what he was thinking about me, but by the looks of it, he was laughing.

After all the speeches were made, each and every single person from the grade was required to stand up on stage while the principal made a speech about them. What made it even worse was the fact that the students' accomplishments were shown on the slide in the back.

I didn't have any accomplishments!

It was basically tennis and effort honor roll, it was humiliating.

You know I have never been the best tennis player at school, and because of that, no one would want to be my doubles partner.

The principal said things like, "Haruno Sakura is a quiet and reserved individual who is a fantastic public speaker, as shown in our annual competition this past year".

I wanted to tune out every single word he said! None of those things were true, I wanted to gag.

At the end, the principal said he was going to present something called the Hokage's prize. It is awarded to the student who demonstrates the qualities of the ideal student of Konohagure. He presented it to a guy in my grade named Fujimoto Atsushi.

Now, I didn't really know him that well. Atsushi makes it known to everyone that he absolutely loves politics. He thinks that he can become the next hokage one day.

That's ridiculous. No one in their right mind would pick someone as snooty and fake as him.

Finally my turn ended and the ceremony was over. I went out into the lobby and took some pictures with friends while eating some fruit set up.

I talked to some of my teachers and they said the highlight this year was this public speaking contest. I just plastered a smile on my face and nodded.

I felt even worse about myself when a couple of people would come up to my parents and say things like, "Oh, your daughter is such an accomplished woman!"

I would leave right in the middle of the conversation because I didn't want to hear anymore of it.

Iruka Sensei approached me and we talked about my middle school years from the ups to the downs.

He said something which till this very day I haven't forgotten.

"I expect great things from you Haruno Sakura".

I looked at him perplexed, "What are you talking about sensei? I practically failed middle school and disappointed my parents. What makes you think I will end up doing such 'great' things?"

He just smiled and said, "True…..you didn't do as well you wanted to these past couple years but……I know you'll get back on track and do great things in high school and even further on in your life".

I nodded and wished Sensei a good summer; he wasn't going to be my teacher next year.

I'm going to miss him a lot, but he's good friends with my parents so I'll see him a lot.

As I walked back home with my parents, I remained deep in thought.

All sorts of flashbacks came running through my mind; they were mostly centered on today's ceremony. What struck me the most was when I watched Atsushi receive that prize…….

Everything about me suddenly changed!

My outlook on life, my personality, my sudden urge to do my best at everything.

I couldn't describe the feeling…….

It was some sort of a transformation……………or a sudden realization…….

No……

It was an epiphany.

At that very moment, what came to my mind?

"_Fujimoto Atsushi, here comes Haruno Sakura and she's going to take you down!"_


	25. Heart Break

**Author's Note: **hello everyone, so here is chapter 25. Now for the next couple chapters the Konoha Nine will be coming in!!!!!!!

So keep on the look out! Also, I seriously need more reviews!!!!!!

Anyway, chapter 25 everyone!

**Chapter 25: Heart Break**

Summer is over and my anticipation has come to an end.

It's time for high school.

On the first day of school all of the ninth graders were introduced to their advisors, my schedule said I got someone named Hatake Kakashi.

He seemed like a very friendly guy, but a bit mysterious too.

Would you like to know why?

He has a mask covering his face. I'm kind of curious what exactly he's hiding under there.

Kakashi Sensei is one of the physics teachers at our school, and when you get to high school, that is the time when you start up your missions.

Your advisor becomes your mission leader, so I don't think I'll have a problem.

There were a lot of new students this year. I noticed that majority of the girls fit very well in with the "popular" group.

Now with my new found extroverted personality, I introduced myself to all of the new students.

There was one girl who I especially cliqued with, her name was Temari.

I got to know her well and we somehow hit it off. We hung out a lot during lunch or any free time we had together.

Apparently she came from Sunagakure, and rented an apartment in Konoha.

As this year passed I began to, in a way, idolize her.

She really is one of a kind.

Like me, Temari also has a fiery personality. The only thing is, she definitely has come out of her shell and doesn't let people step all over her.

Especially people like Atsushi.

Yes, I still want that Hokage's prize, and I am not going to give up these next three years without a fight!

Temari doesn't take crap from Atsushi and puts him in his place.

I need to learn to be like that.

She also has a very different hair style.

I mean you don't normally find people with four large ponytails on the back of their head, but she actually looks good in them.

She also seems to have taken a liking to her English teacher, Asuma Sensei.

The one thing they have in common is their love of literature. She gets severely red in the face every time she comes across him, and I start laughing.

Yes, that is pretty immature of me.

Temari, Hinata, and I have become really close. The two of them know about my intense feelings for Daichi.

Speaking of Daichi, things have become very awkward between us.

Whenever I walk in the hallways alone, I always seem to run into him. We don't speak at all to each other.

I think I know the reason why it's gotten worse, because this past summer I messaged him asking what happened between us.

Of course that jerk wouldn't give me a straight up answer, and would reply with something immature like, "YOUR MOM!"

No matter how much I want to stop liking him, I……..I just can't.

These feelings are too intense for me to handle.

I tell both Hinata and Temari about this, but they tell me to forget about it.

Easier said than done……

Suddenly Temari and I got into a conversation about Naruto.

"He's actually become a lot cuter" I said.

"You're right Sakura, he's now grown taller. His blonde hair looks so good with his tanned skin and his blue eyes" agreed Temari.

"No seriously, when I look at them, it's almost like looking at the ocean. I know it's kind of cheesy but its true".

Temari just laughed at my comment.

"What do you think Hinata?" she asked her.

Hinata stayed silent for a while. I noticed that her originally pale face grew pinker by the second, eventually turning into a tomato red color after about 5 silent minutes.

"Why are you blushing Hina?" I asked her.

"O-Oh…..i-its nothing…….."

It's gotta be something! Look at you! Your face is a cherry" laughed Temari.

"W-Well……okay if I tell you, don't tell anyone……" she said poking her two index fingers together.

"We won't!" Temari and I promised.

"I-I l-like……N-Naruto".

"HA! I knew it!" Temari exclaimed.

"How long have you liked him Hinata?" I asked.

She stopped poking her two fingers together and looked at me, "For five long years……"

"_FIVE YEARS!? Why hasn't she given up on him yet!? This guy is too dense to notice….."_

I smiled, "I think it's funny how all three of us like three guys. Except, I think that my situation is the worst out of all of ours. I mean Temari sure you like a teacher, but you guys talk and he doesn't suspect a thing".

Temari nodded when I continued, "And Hinata……ok so you've liked Naruto for five years and the idiot is too dense to notice but he doesn't act weird around you! I don't know what to do with Daichi you guys……."

This time it was Hinata's turn to speak, "W-Why, don't y-you say hi to him?"

I sighed, "Well……it's not that easy. I'm kind of afraid of what he's going to say to me….."

"Afraid!? Sakura, it's not like he's going to hit you. This is a school after all and you're a girl. Just give it some time" Temari assured me.

I nodded, "Alright, I will say hi to him………..eventually".

Ninth grade has been going so well for me; I've become very popular amongst the teachers.

Kakashi sensei and I have become a lot closer. I come to him when all sorts of problems arise in my life.

My dad and I aren't that close, he's usually out so I talk to Kakashi sensei or Iruka Sensei just to get the male perspective on things.

Unlike everyone else in my advisory, I am pretty much the only one greeting sensei. I remember he told me once that I was his favorite student, it was so sweet.

My mother got a chance to meet him during the parent teacher conferences, and she has also taken a liking to him. She's been ecstatic about my performance in my academics this year.

I've been getting usually all A's and only one B, the best I have ever done in my life so far!

Well everything has been going well so far until something so……upsetting came up………..

It was during lunch and as usual I sat with my usual group. The table was filled when I got there with only one seat left, so I decided to take the spot.

While I munched on my PB&J sandwich (yes I still eat them), I noticed that Ino came up behind me. I smiled at her when she gave me this dirty look and said, "What are you doing in my seat!? I was sitting there first, now leave!"

"Ino, I didn't even see your stuff here. Otherwise, I would not have sat down".

She still didn't take no for answer and continued to harass me.

I tried to remain calm, but was getting so pissed inside.

I looked to Hinata and Mitsuko, hoping they would say something to tell Ino that clearly her stuff wasn't there.

They just sat there and continued to eat their lunches.

Then I immediately left and finished lunch by myself. I started to notice that in each and every one of my classes none of them would pick me to be their partners for anything. I was basically the substitute incase someone else wasn't there.

"_It's like second grade all over again…."_

Unfortunately Temari and I didn't share any of our classes together so one day I broke down in front of her about this whole problem and she sat and comforted me.

"You know Sakura……..those girls have been gossiping a lot about you. Saying things like you're annoying. They don't' like the fact that you are a happy person".

I stopped crying and looked up at her, "But why? What's wrong with being happy all the time?"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with that! They're just a bunch of sadistic bitches who want everyone to be depressed all the time".

I wiped my tears away, "You know what Temari? You're right. They wouldn't be my true friends if they were acting this way".

"So……what are you going to do about it?" she asked me.

"I'm just going to keep my distance from them. I mean can you believe that Ino had to make such a big deal out of it? Hinata didn't even bother saying anything………."

Temari placed her hand on my shoulder,"Just stay away from them a bit, they'll come around".

Just as I thought things were going to get better, it turns out, that…….

Daichi has a girlfriend.

Her name is Fujimoto Abi, the twin sister of Atsushi.

She fits in with the "popular" crowd. I was sitting at lunch and watched her whole group of friends smiling at the two of them.

Both Daichi and Abi were sitting in the center of everyone, someone said something and I couldn't hear what they said.

That's when I saw it.

Daichi kissed her……….

I tried not to let it get to me, but my heart was breaking…….

That night, I cried.

My tears just wouldn't stop. I didn't want to tell my mother this, because if I did, she would probably think I'm crazy.

Well don't you agree?

She'd probably think in her mind that it's all just a silly crush and I shouldn't be crying about something like this.

For the rest of the year, I tried to let it go…………..

**Author's Note: **Like it? Hate it? Please review and let me know! Chapter 26 will be coming out shortly. Also just incase if you wanted to know what some of the OC names meant here is the small list:

Abi-bird

Atsushi-pure ambition

Mitsuko-child of the light

Daichi-great wisdom

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	26. Breaking the Ice

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! As you can see now, a lot of the background information is pretty much covered. I'm sure when you read the last couple chapters, the Konoha nine and other well known characters have started to appear. Keep reading and reviewing, here is chapter 26!

**Chapter 26: Breaking the Ice  
**

Well I'm a sophomore now, and things..........haven't changed all that much.

I still hate Atsushi's guts! He ran for student council and he actually got elected! Along with two other "popular" guys. High school really is a popularity contest.

Things are about to change, because I am running this spring!

Remember when I said that I would be keeping a distance from my so called "friends", well its working. They're starting to notice a change in my behavior.

I was outside when Hinata approached me.

_"Oh great......what could she possibly want?"_

"H-Hey Sakura......."

I plastered a smile on my face, hoping she would go away. After all since she hurt me, I really wasn't going to give her the time of day, "Hi Hinata......"

There was a long silence, making things pretty awkward. Surprisingly, she started the conversation back up again.

"I-Is........e-everything o-ok?" She asked with "concern".

"Yeah, everything is just fine....." I stated nonchalantly.

She persisted to talk to me, "S-Sakura.......I've noticed..........you haven't been really y-yourself lately".

I didn't really look her in the eye, "I've been fine, nothing is wrong......"

She stopped poking her fingers together and got straight to the point, "Yes there is. The girls and I were wondering why you've been ignoring us. Is there something wrong?"

I was tired of it, "_Is she going to leave me alone?"_

I sighed and proceeded to explain, "First of all I am not ignoring you and second, yes there is something wrong. You know, I've been hearing things like you and the other girls have been gossiping about me. Why would you do that?"

She looked down and I continued, "Do you remember when I approached you about this problem once before ninth grade ended? I asked you the same question, and you told me to find some best friends. You know what? I thought you guys were my best friends! I've been hurt enough already and I don't want it to happen again..........I've been burned too much......."

I immediately walked off when Hinata refused to let me out of her sight, "W-Wait! S-Sakura!"

I turned around and looked back at her trembling figure, afraid of what I was going to say, "I-It wasn't me participating in any of this gossip......it's mainly been Mitsuko, Chika, Michiru, Aya, and all of the other girls".

My eyebrow raised, "But when I talked to you, why did you make it a big deal that being happy was a bad thing? You said its "offensive" to people, I don't see how".

"W-Well.......i-i don't know......"

My facial expression remained hurt. I thought that someone like her could have come up with a more reasonable answer, "That's the reason why I stopped talking to you and Mitsuko and kept my distance away from everyone. I don't need an apology I just wanted to know why this has been happening. We were such good friends last year along with Temari, and now that she left the academy, it's been so difficult for me to deal with this problem by myself. She failed to mention that you just sat back and didn't say a thing every time someone said something about me. I guess I had to find out the hard way…….."

"Y-You know Sakura.....Mitsuko started badmouthing you again a couple days ago. This time I didn't just sit back and not say anything. I stood up for you and named all of your positive qualities and how you are probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. I told them that if they're insulting you, then they are insulting me as a friend".

_"S-She said all of that?"_

I was too shocked to say anything. Well, I really wasn't sure what to say at this point.....

"Sakura I'm sorry I've never said anything to them before, I guess I was afraid of what they would say to me. Now I've learned and this won't happen again. I want us to remain friends. Please join me for lunch today......"

I smiled at her, "Sure.....and Hinata......thank you, for standing up for me. Also, I'm not saying that you can't be friends with them. By all means, please do so. I just don't want any of this to get in the way of our friendship".

"I promise Sakura" she assured me.

After our little discussion, we walked back to class together.

It's been difficult this year without Temari. Well I guess it was good that she left. Renting an apartment in Konoha is expensive; she had trouble affording it by herself. She was allowed to be given a loan by the Hokage for the last couple months of freshman year, and then she went back to Sunakagure.

Without her, I've been feeling kind of lonely during this whole "friend" situation.

Of course I told my mother about this whole thing, and she was the one who told me to keep my distance from them.

I did, and things got resolved pretty quickly between Hinata and I. The both of us started talking and hanging out more often.

As long as Mitsuko's antics didn't get in the way of our friendship, then it wouldn't matter if the two of them were friends.

I found out that Abi, for some reason, broke up with Daichi.

If _she_ broke up with _him_, then that means he must have some feelings left for her."

Speaking of Daichi, there he is about to cross paths with me in this empty hallway.

Suddenly my stomach developed these butterflies, my face became so red it put Hinata's to shame, and my mind kept telling me to turn the other away.

"_There is no way I'm going to back out now! It's high time I break the ice and say hello to him. Oh God! Here he comes…..ok deep breaths. 1……..2………..3………."_

"Hey Daichi" I calmly greeted him.

He looked up at me, "Hey Sakura….."

I looked at his face, he didn't smile or anything. It was so………expressionless…..I wonder what he's thinking at this very moment……

He walked past me and I turned my head scanning the entire area, making sure no one else was there.

Suddenly I had this jolt of excitement in my system, which I just had to let out!

I wasn't even thinking when I jumped and skipped happily to the library. At that point, I didn't even care if anyone was looking. The only thing on my mind was him…….

Ever since I said hi, things seemed to be getting better between the two of us.

We acted like nothing happened.

It sure feels good to finally talk to him after these past two and a half years.

We see each other a lot more often than last year. Now that we've established the "hello" part of the conversation, I want to focus on "filling in the gap".

Of course my mother is the one who has been pushing me to say hi and start a conversation with him; she wants the both of us to become friends.

Of course I want that too.

Every time we talk about Daichi she always tells me, "Remember Sakura, just be friends with him……..nothing more than that".

My parents are very overprotective of me. They forbid me to do a lot of things, and dating would have to be #1 on that list.

Why?

Mom believes that boys only want girls for one particular thing.

I'm sure you know what that "thing" is.

She also believes that this is the age, where I should be focusing on my studies. I am too young for a commitment.

You know, I agree with her.

I want to save myself for that one special person in my life.

**Author's Note: **How was this chapter? Did you like it? Please review and let me know! Chapter 27 will be coming soon!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	27. A Not So Typical Day

**Author's Note: **hello again! I got more reviews!!! I would like more people to read. Actually, to my loyal readers, do you think you could maybe "spread the word" about, "The Diaries of Haruno Sakura: my life!" Also, someone asked about Naruto and how he didn't really appear in the story. Trust me, he will have a bigger part in this fanfiction!

Now, let's read! Here is chapter 27!

**Chapter 27: A Not So Typical Day**

You know once school starts, you get this sudden feeling of excitement because your not really stuck at home bored all day. Once the school year starts, it can become such a drag waking up early in the morning. My mother still wakes me up, and sometimes I wish I could just sleep the day away.

But that's not how life works unfortunately.

Here I am getting dressed into my usual uniform. You see unlike other girls, I don't raise the hem of the skirt and wear a bright colored tank top underneath so everyone can see it.

My parents would never let me walk out of the house like that.

Every morning I have the constant hassle of dealing with my hair. It's become pretty long and there are times where it's so frizzy that I have to tie it up into a bun. Then sometimes luck is on my side for the one day and I can actually leave my hair open.

Today is not a lucky day, so I have to tie it up in a bun. It doesn't look that bad though, according to my mother, it's cute.

I usually take her word on things and go along with it.

I entered the kitchen and fed myself a bowl of cereal, mom gave me my lunch, and Shin and I left for the day.

Shin and I are much too exhausted to talk in the mornings; we just walk in complete silence.

With the uniforms, I've noticed that the girls have it a lot easier. The guys have to wear belts and ties, if they don't; they get marked down for it. The rules are, if you get three marks, then you have to serve an after school detention.

Lucky me, I haven't had a single detention so far in my high school career!

Shin is now a freshman this year, he wasn't as excited as I was. Actually come to think of it, he kind of had this non-caring attitude. He hates school, he didn't bother showing up to his own eighth grade graduation. Like me, Shin also had a mediocre performance. I can see why he probably didn't go, maybe he was ashamed.

We arrived and the homeroom bell rang. I packed my bag with the books of all of the morning classes and greeted Kakashi sensei.

"Morning Sensei!"

He didn't seem to be any attention to me whatsoever. I don't mean to be a nag, but he's always reading that book of his!

I squinted my eyes together to take a peek at the title.

"_Icha Icha Paradise!? Otherwise known as Makeout Paradise. That's disgusting, I had no idea he was into that kind of stuff!"_

Someone must have corrupted him……..

"_Should he seriously be reading this kind of book in an educational environment? I don't think this is setting a good example for the other students, won't he get fired? Well……apparently he's a good physics teacher so, they probably won't care if he reads it or not…….."_

I waved my hand in front of him to catch his attention, "Hello? Kakashi Sensei? Are you there?"

He didn't seem to notice I was there until the bell rang, "Oh! Sakura, you're here!"

He marked my name down on the attendance sheet and handed it to me, "Would you mind taking it to the office for me?"

"Nope not at all………"

"_How did he not notice I was there!? He must be one passionate reader…….."_

I hurried up to the office and ran into Anko-sensei, "Hey there Sakura!"

"Morning Anko-sensei".

"So…...are you excited and pumped for the chuunin exams coming up in a couple weeks?"

I grinned, "Of course I am, I'm looking forward to it………"

"I'm sure you'll do just fine, have a good day then".

I placed the attendance sheet on the main desk, "You too".

The bell rang, "_Oh God! I can't be late! Gai-Sensei is going to kill me!!!!"_

Fortunately When I got there, sensei hadn't arrived yet.

"_Phew…….that was a close one"._

I sat in my usual seat in front of Kiba, "Why are you so late Sakura?" he asked me.

I put my stuff down and took a seat, "I had some errands to run…."

"Ohhhh…….so, what do you think Gai-Sensei is going to have us do today?"

"Knowing him, he's probably going to do something wacky. It's never boring with him around".

He snorted, "Yeah, can't wait to see what he's going to be wearing today……"

I laughed, "The man has absolutely no sense of style!"

We sat waiting a couple minutes for our said teacher.

This is espionage class. Right now, we are covering disguises. It seems though that Sensei can never get out of his teaching mode once he's out in public.

The door suddenly opened and there was Gai-Sensei wearing the most hideous green jumper suit in the history of jumper suits. To make it worse, he was singing……

Gai-sensei is definitely a morning person.

"Welcome my youthful students! Now let's start class shall we?"

He approached the board until there was a knock at the door, "COME IN WHOEVER THIS YOUTHFUL PERSON MAY BE!"

The door opened revealing a girl with a very pissed expression on her face.

Gai-sensei seemed to know who she was, "AH! Hello TenTen!"

She gave him a questioning look, "Uhhhh……hi?"

Sensei went over and wrapped his arm around the poor girl, "Everyone this is TenTen. She had some scheduling conflicts and will be joining us for the rest of the year. Now let's say hello ten-ten!"

"Hello Ten-Ten…….." The class said.

"I didn't hear any of you! You are all youth! Meaning, I'm sure you have the energy to be louder than I am!"

"_That's impossible……..no soul can possibly be louder than you….."_

"HELLO TENTEN!" We yelled at the top of our lungs.

"That's much better class! No ten-ten, why don't you sit next to Kiba. Inuzuka Kiba raise your hand please".

Dog boy raised his hand and ten-ten sat down in the seat next to him. She was diagonal from me so I could see her clearly.

Her brunette hair was up into two buns with dark brown bangs hanging in front of her forehead, her chocolate brown eyes showed nothing but irritation and annoyance although she plastered an artificial smile on her weary face. Looking at her clothes made me wonder if she got marked down this entire year.

Tenten's polo was untucked and unbuttoned, giving a sneak peek at her black tank underneath. Her socks were of two different colors, and she was wearing black tennis shoes. She sat slouching in her seat, showing that she was not interested in taking Gai-Sensei's class.

"_Wow……..she looks like a rebel"._

Gai-Sensei talked non stop, making me zone out a little.

"Now Sakura which disguise is the best for collecting information while selling goods without arousing suspicion?"

It took about a couple minutes for that question to register in my brain.

"_Uh-oh! Crap! Why did I zone out? Everyone's looking at me, and I'm going to sound like an idiot if I don't get this right!'_

I took a deep breath and was about to give the most logical answer I could possibly think of when a paper ball landed on my desk.

"I'm waiting Sakura" Sensei told me.

I unraveled the piece of paper and found a word written on it, "**Akindo"** it said.

"Akindo" I told Sensei.

His serious expression lightened up, "Good Job Sakura! Looks like you were paying attention!"

I smiled and looked around the room while sensei was writing on the board, "_Who in the world threw that piece of paper?"_

I scanned the room, "_Was it Kiba? Nah…………he never pays attention"._

"Psssss……." I heard someone say.

I turned my attention to that person and saw Tenten smiling at me.

The bell rang and I was off to my next class. I caught up to Tenten, "Hey, were you the one who gave me the answer?"

She grinned at me, "Yep, I sure did".

"Oh, well thanks for saving my butt in there! If it weren't for you……..well…….I'm not really sure what would have happened……"

She smirked, "You mean he probably would have embarrassed you by singing your name and how "youthful" you are for not paying attention".

I laughed at her comment, "Yeah…..that's probably what would have happened. Say……what was with your schedule?"

She paused for a moment probably trying to figure out what I was talking about, "Oh that. My parents took me out of the weapon crafts class to take espionage. Gai is my homeroom teacher and I can't stand him!"

"No wonder you didn't look like a happy camper" I added to the conversation.

"I am never a happy camper when it comes to him….I just wish he would at least wear something normal when my team and I go out training with him".

There was nothing but silence until I started the conversation back up again, "Hey! I've seen you before. Remember me? From middle school?"

I guess that had to take a little to register what I just said, "Oh yeah, I do remember you. You're Haruno Sakura! It's nice to see that I actually know someone in this class".

I smiled, "Yeah it is…….well you'll get used to everyone else. They're all a bunch of goof balls".

"I hope so……Is that Inuzuka guy you're friend?"

"Kiba? We have an interesting relationship…….he calls me pinky and I'll call him dog breath. You could say it's almost a love hate kind of thing. You know I remember once in Pre-K he accidentally let his dog loose in the school, even though he should not have brought his dog in the first place….."

"REALLY!? What happened? Did you guys get caught?" she urged on.

I rewinded my mind back to the memory, "Well I didn't, Kiba did though. He got _plenty_ of detentions. He used to make fun of me before this whole incident and I guess that's he we slowly grew to become friends. Our friendship kind of withered away from second to eighth grade, and last year, it somehow started back up again".

She smiled at the thought, "That's nice".

"It is" I agreed with her.

I came across my next class, "Well……here's my next stop. It was nice seeing you again Tenten, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then!"

It was nice to see Tenten in my class. We did know each other in middle school, but we weren't really friends because she was a year older. We were more like acquaintances then.

"_Maybe we can be better friends this year……" _

**Author's Note: **How was it? Review and let me know! Chapter 28 is coming soon!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	28. The Stalker

**Author's Note: **Hello fanfiction readers!!!!! So far, I have about.......33 reviews. I was expecting some more, but I guess it just didn't happen for me. I really would like some more! Thanks again to my star readers [you know who you are :)], here is chapter 28!

**Chapter 28: The Stalker**

As the days passed, Tenten and I have been hanging out a lot more. She's a lot of fun once you get to know her. We have a lot of the same interests which really helps people to connect; our personalities are a bit different though.

Tenten is the calm, cool, and laidback type. I, on the other hand, am energetic and outgoing.

Everyone takes Gai-sensei's class as a joke; we sit in the back laughing. It's not like the two of us are not paying attention, we're both doing very well.

Tenten's main interests are weapons, from both using to actually crafting them. In her sculpture class, that's basically what she devotes all of her pieces to.

I introduced her to Hinata and those two seem to be getting along really well. I told her a lot about Temari and she really wants to meet her.

Well, who wouldn't want to meet Temari?

She and I have become really close and I told her about my "friend" problem last year. It's good that I have someone to confide in now besides Temari.

I told her about Daichi, and she says that he's in her sculpture class.

"He's so immature Sakura!" Tenten informed me while eating lunch with her.

I took a bite from my Teriyaki chicken and stared at her, "Seriously!? How can DAICHI be immature? Give me the evidence".

She sighed, "Well do you know Aoi?"

"_How could anyone not know Aoi? He's some freshman and the entire school hates him for some reason, especially Shin……well of course we all can't stand him since he flirts with all of the girls and thinks he's the "coolest" guy around"._

"Yes I do" I told her.

She continued after a sip of her drink, "Well…..I think….was it last week? Yeah it was. Everyone in the class had huge clay sculpture projects due that week. Now Aoi wasn't doing anything to bother anyone, the poor guy was just cleaning off his paint brushes and went off to the bathroom. Ebisu-sensei had to go to some faculty meeting at the time, so we were unsupervised. He trusted us, I c'mon we're all older".

She stared at me checking to see if I was paying attention, "Sakura? Have you spaced out again?"

I playfully glared at her, "No Tenten, please continue. It's getting me hooked!"

"Ok, just checking. Anyway, While Aoi left the room, I saw Daichi move from his seat and placed Aoi's art box in the sink. That delinquent filled the art box with clay and watered it down afterward. Aoi left his brushes and all of his important art pieces in there overnight. The next day, he opened it and literally screamed his head off! Everything was stuck to the box, it turned into cement. Ebisu-sensei was beyond pissed, and wanted someone to tell him what happened".

"AND!?" I urged her on.

"AND…….I was expecting Daichi to cough it up and take his punishment like a man. Instead that jerk just blamed it on one of his best friends. I think it was….Minoru…."

My mouth dropped open after hearing the story, I knew for a fact Tenten wouldn't just make things up.

"Oh my God! That's horrible! I feel so bad for Aoi and Minoru, even though I don't really like either of them".

Tenten took a bite of her carrot, "Yeah…….now you know what your prince charming is like…..anyway, why should you be so surprised? He was being an ass to you these past couple years".

"I-I know…….I just thought he may have changed and become more mature this year…."

Tenten finished her lunch, "Trust me Sakura………guys in high school will _never _be mature no matter how much you want them to".

"I guess….."

She smiled and decided to change the subject, "Do you want to go see what Hinata is doing?"

"_Come to think of it, I haven't seen Hinata all day!"_

I agreed, "Sure".

We threw our trash away, used the restrooms, and were on our way to find Hinata.

"Where do you think she might be?"

I thought about it, "_Too easy"._

"The library of course!" I exclaimed.

In no time we both arrived at the library, it was too quiet. There was no one in here……

We were about to leave when I spotted a head full of dark hair, sitting in the corner of the library.

"Tenten, I think I found her".

She looked in my direction, "Oh sweet, HINATA!!!!"

The head snapped back to face the two of us, "SHHH!!!! You guys, this is a library".

"Are you kidding Hina? No one else is in here!" I reasoned.

"Oh…….right……I forgot about that. I was too into this book that I didn't notice you guys were here".

"What are you reading?" I asked as I took a seat next to her.

"Some romantic poetry……." She stated while blushing.

"_Did she think we were going to laugh at her or something?"_

"Oh, I absolutely love romance! Are you checking this book out?"

"I sure am" she proclaimed.

"You guys let's get out of here, I want to go outside. It's really nice weather today".

"Sure" I said.

The three of us exited the library and were on our way outside. We got there and sat down underneath a plain oak tree to get some shade. I scanned the whole area and watched all of the guys playing a bunch of sports. The girls were talking and making there way over to the one group of guys. I'm assuming they were going to show their flirtatious sides, and this is why they have a tainted reputation amongst the majority of the student body.

I was pretty much in my own little world while Hinata and Tenten were having their own conversation. I looked at the fields and admired our campus until my eyes suddenly landed on a dark figure standing against one of the trees on the other side of the field.

It looked to me like a boy…….with long hair.

"_A guy with long hair!? Isn't he afraid that he'll get mistaken for a girl?"_

I squinted my eyes together to get a better peek at him. Even though he had long hair, this guy was cute!

He looked a lot like Hinata with his large identical pearl orbs; they really did look like jewels. I was entranced; he seemed to be looking in my direction.

"_Woah, is he looking at me?"_

Wait a minute, that's when it all came to me.

"_That's Hyuuga Neji! How could I forget? This guy is insanely popular! Girls literally throw themselves at him, but I know for a fact he hates sluts"._

I must admit that he looks great in his tie and oxford shirt. It was weird, his gaze would never leave my direction.

The bell rang, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Sakura?" asked Tenten while she and Hinata were standing up to leave for their next class.

I blinked a few times, "Oh Right! We have class don't we? Let's go then!"

"_What class do I have now? Oh that's right, free period!"_

Free period is usually the time of day when everyone neglects their work and play outside on a beautiful day like this.

Of course I went to the library, to get some work done.

I sat in the corner of the room, secluded from everyone else, starting on tonight's homework.

About 45 minutes passed, the bell rang, and I went to my next couple classes. Before I knew it, it was the end of the day!

"_YES! FREEDOM!"_

As I packed my books while at my locker Tenten approached me, "Sakura! Thank GOD you're here! I need to talk to you!"

I stopped in the middle of my packing and paid attention, "Sure, what's up?"

"Someone is stalking me……"

That kind of alarmed me a bit, "_Who in the world would be stalking Tenten!? It's not some rapist is it!? Oh God…..that means I'll have to let the school know, and they have to call ANBU forces, and-"_

"Sakura!? You there?" she asked while waving her hand in front of my pensive face to gain my attention.

"Oh yeah….I am….sorry about that! Anyway, who's stalking you exactly?"

"Rock Lee….."

"Oh, that's not too bad".

She looked at me like I had a second head growing on me, "HELLO! THIS IS ROCK LEE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

Rock Lee…..he was, and still is, labeled the "Geek or outcast" in our school. I feel so bad for him sometimes. The poor guy has absolutely no friends. Sure he's not…….the best looking guy around, but that's no reason for people to make fun of him because of his bowl-cut hair, bug-like eyes, and atrocious sense of style…..

"Sakura, he asked me to be his date to the dance……"

"I hope you weren't being mean to him!"

"No Sakura….. I let him down easy. I said that I wasn't going anyway……"

Pretty much the majority of the student body never goes to the dances, they're lame.

"When did he ask you this?" I pried on.

"During math class, good thing nobody was paying attention. He's got this massive crush on me! He always stares and follows me around….."

"You can't be serious?"

"Oh, I'm _dead_ serious!"

She dragged me to the lobby area of the high school and we both spotted him there just standing while people were pointing and laughing at him.

"_Oh yeah, his locker is right next to mine"._

He spotted us and approached both Tenten and I, "Hello there Sakura-san and…..Tenten-san".

I greeted him with a friendly smile. Tenten had a see-through, fake one plastered on, signaling that she really didn't want to be seen with him at the moment.

"Hi Lee" I greeted him.

Tenten wasn't about to say anything until I nudged her shoulder, pretty hard actually…

"Ow!!!! Oh….hey Lee…." She forced out of her mouth.

I actually got a good look at Lee. He was definitely not the Neji Hyuuga type. No eye-catching features whatsoever…..but he's really sweet. I could actually hold up a decent conversation with this guy.

The entire time while he was talking to me, Lee kept stealing glances at Tenten while blushing even worse than I am around Daichi.

"So Tenten…….I got these flowers for you……

She blushed and looked around the room because of utter embarrassment, "Oh…..thanks Lee…."

I followed her gaze and noticed a group of guys snickering in the background whispering things like, "OOOOHHHH……Lee's got himself a girlfriend!"

I felt bad for both of them and decided to get Tenten and Lee out of this mess, "Oh…..look at the time….Tenten remember you had to meet with me after school to work on that project?"

"_C'mon play along!!!"_

"Oh what?"

I mentally slapped myself and gave her the look. Thankfully, Lee was too oblivious to this whole thing and focused on Tenten's "beauty".

"Oh _that_. Let's go Sakura. Lee, it was nice talking to you……"

I nudged her again making sure she wouldn't forget something, "Oh also, thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful……"

He's a very guy that Lee. As we were leaving, he was crying and yelling things like, "Oh, anything for you my beloved! I'll stock up on some more for you another time!"

She was speeding up her pace as he said those cheesy lines you would most likely hear in a movie.

"Thank you for saving my butt Sakura".

"Actually, I was trying to save you both from embarrassment" I corrected her,

"Now do you agree that he's a stalker!?"

"He's not a stalker…..he was just being nice approaching you like that. I think you should give him a chance".

"Not a chance……..probably not until the day Hinata gets over Naruto".

"Wow……..so, never huh?"

She nodded.

"Well, I gotta head home. Lot's of homework tonight……"

"Me too, see ya later Sakura".

"Bye Tenten!"

We waved to each other and went out separate ways.

**Author's Note: **Did you like this chapter? Review and tell me what you thought of it! Also here are some of the names I mentioned with their meanings if you want to know:

Aoi-blue or hollyleaf

Minoru-truthful

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	29. Class Clown

**Author's Note: **hey! Guess what? I have about 50 reviews! I want more and more people to keep reading. Let me thank my loyal readers:

**Ariis101**

**crushinsammygirl**

**KageSakura1982**

**StarS 009**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

Thanks for making this story successful! I couldn't have done it with out you guys, there will be PLENTY more chapters to go, so let's continue this journey shall we? Now, onto chapter 29!

**Chapter 29: The Class Clown**

As the school year goes on, things get more and more interesting.

Tenten is trying to avoid Lee as much as possible while she leaves me to think up and excuse for why she left.

The wierdest thing I've noticed is definitley Daichi's behavior towards me.

Well I am currently waiting for my next class while sitting in an empty classroom, you're probably thinking, "You have no life Sakura".

Yes that's true, I don't have a life. I'm sitting in here by myself finishing up some homework. I was about 10 minutes into it when I heard people talking outside of the door.

I didn't pay attention and sooner or later, they were going to leave right?

Wrong.

The talking stopped and I heard loud thuds outside ot the room, "_Just ignore it, maybe it'll all go away......"_

I tried blocking out the noise, but instead, it became louder!

I was about to get up from my seat to see what the commotion was all about once I heard, "Look Daichi, Sakura's in there. Just go already, she's not gonna bite!"

"_What's going on here? Why is Daichi out the door?"_

"No!" I heard someone say.

"No you're going in!"

All of a sudden the door slammed open and there I saw, Uzumaki Naruto trying to push Daichi in the room while he on the other hand was struggling to leave the classroom to avoid embarassment.

I didn't say a thing, but watched.

Daichi mustered all of his strength to push Naruto back out the door and I was left sitting dumbfounded trying to figure out what just happened.

Then I heard laughter outside, Daichi's friends must have been watching this whole thing.

"_Was he doing this as a joke?"_

But my positive side said otherwise, "_No, I think he may really like me!"_

The bell rang, and everyone went off to their next classes. I spend the rest of the day thinking about what just happened.

My last class of the day was english.

The teacher was nice enough to let us sit where we wanted. She assigned us classwork for the entire period while expecting us to keep quiet.

About 30 minutes into the period, I heard laughter a few seats down from me.

Of course......just as I thought, it was Naruto.

"_Can't this guy ever be mature!? He doesn't take anything seriously!"_

Then I remembered Tenten's comment on how boys in high school will never be mature. I find it so hard to believe that someone as studious and serious as Hinata is crushing on this.........buffoon.....

I looked at him carefully, "_Well......he does have good looks. He looks like the typical blonde surfer guy......"_

She should realize that _both _looks and personality are important. Naruto is only popular because he likes to make people laugh, it annoys the hell out of me sometimes.

It's interesting. When you catch him by himself, he can be so nice! But when he's around his group of friends, he can be obnoxious and tends to act like a jerk.

Opposites do attract.....so maybe......I could see the two of them together.

Although.....I have never seen them interact with each other, not once! I have a feeling that Naruto doesn't even know that Hinata exists....

He actually came to the Academy around.....fifth or sixth grade. He was quiet back then and had only a few friends. Like me, he also came out of his shell and started to become more comfortable with himself. As I watched him grow, he started fitting in with the wrong crowd and became known as the class clown.

Teachers and students alike cannot _stand_ him. Although.......there are times when I laugh at his jokes. I pretty much laugh at everything, that my face becomes so red and a couple of times I'v almost fallen out of my seat!

Hinata needs to be more outgoing if she wants to get his attention.

I guess I've been thinking too much about this goofball, that I forgot to pay attention to my classwork. I looked at the sheet and analyzed a couple of poems. So far this year, we've been studying different kinds of literature of the different eras and time periods in Konoha.

The one piece which really caught my attention was written by the first hokage himself, while he was named general of one of the armies during the first Shinobi world war. It's entitled: **My Miracle in the Night**

**_War......a time of endless bloodshed and violence......_**

**_I stand for my pride, my country, my people, my loved ones, and......you...._**

**_You are the chakra that sends strength through my system._**

**_You are that breath of fresh air when I hear your musical voice for the first time in the cold quiet mornings._**

**_You are the embodiment of my peaceful dreams, to ease my soul at rest before I put myself to sleep._**

**_You are the one star in which I wish upon to see you again._**

**_As I fight and lead my village to battle.....I fight using all of my remaining strength my chakra will be able to sustain._**

**_I will fight even if it costs be my last breath._**

**_I will fight will keeping you in my dreams, to soothe my soul while risking my life._**

**_As I fight, I will make one last wish while I stare death in the face....._**

**_To be sent up to the black skies with you.........my miracle in the night....._**

This poem, is so......beautifully written. It made me cry......I had no idea our first Hokage lost the love of his life. Apparently he was a lot like Naruto when he was younger. Someone who always took things as a joke.

"_I wonder......if Naruto were put in this kind of situation.....would he mature and become a different person?"_

The bell rang, bringing me back to reality. I packed up my stuff and walked through the hallways to get to my locker.

"Hey Sakura!" I heard someone say.

I looked up and watched Naruto grin at me, "Oh....hey Naruto".

He leaned against my locker, "So.....what's up with you?"

I gave him a suspicious look, "_What could Naruto possible want?"_

I turned around and saw Hinata at her locker staring at the two of us, "_Oh no! I hope she doesn't think __  
__I'm flirting with him!"_

"Nothing much Naruto....."

I tried my best to ignore him, hoping that he would leave me alone, but he just stayed.

He continued to speak to me, "So........the ramen shop has a new special today.....do you think you'd want to get a bite to eat with me?"

My snapped up after hearing what he just said, "_What!? Naruto is asking ME out!?_"

I looked back to see if Hinata was still there, but to my dismay, she left.

"_Oh no! She probably heard everything he just said to me and thinks that I'm going to accept this date!"_

"Ummmm.....sorry Naruto, no thanks....."

He had a suprised look on his face, "Wait, why not?"

"I-I.....just see you as a friend.....that's all...."

"But, Sakura-chan!" he pleaded.

I slammed my locker door shut, startling him a little, "No buts Naruto! I just don't see you in that way.....let's just leave it at that okay?"

"Alright......" he said while leaving.

I continued to walk home from school and caught Hinata not that far up ahead of me, "Hey Hinata!"

She turned around and waved at me, "Hey Sakura".

"What's up?" I asked her.

"Nothing much......I saw you and Naruto talking a little while ago......"

I was mentally panicking, "_I really hope she didn't hear him asking me out! I don't want to see her heart broken!"_

"Oh that....." I trailed off.

"What was he asking you about?"

"_Thank God she didn't hear anything!"_

"Oh it was nothing, he basically asked me what our english homework was since he was talking and being a nuisance in class. You know how Naruto always is......"

She smiled, "Yeah.....it would be nice to for him to be more mature...."

A couple minutes passed before I started the conversation back up again, "You know Hinata? I think you'd be good for him!"

She looked at me like I was crazy, "W-What!? W-Why would you say that?"

"Someone as carefree and immature like him needs an adult in his life, and you're just that kind of person".

She blushed, "T-Thanks......Sakura....."

**Author's Note: **Well, how did you like this chapter? Review and let me know please!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	30. Pain, love triangles, and friendship

**Author's Note: **hey again! So…….I've been thinking…..why not speed this story up a little? I know you all have been _dying _for sasuke to come up. He _will _I can assure you that much! I want you to hold on for some more chapters and I will skip a bunch of things and speed up. You all have been more than patient with me, and I should at least repay you guys with putting a little action and excitement in this story. Sasuke will come soon; I can tell you he'll most likely be after high school which is not going to take long. Please bear with me and keep reading! I first want to thank the following for so much support:

**Ariis101**

**NickytheHyuugaChick**

**crushinsammygirl**

**KageSakura1982**

**StarS 009**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

**GeeGee-Chan**

Now, my mouth is shutting and time for you all to get reading!

**Chapter 30: Love Triangles, A Renewed Friendship, and Pain**

My heart……..My heart is breaking……

I've said it before, but this time it's something which can't stop.

It's not like Daichi is dating anyone, it's when he's usually talking to other girls.

I'm not jealous if that's what you're wondering.

He treats me differently than other girls. He says hi to them, he smiles and has conversations. I see the look in those beautiful warm brown eyes of his, they glisten and he smiles.

I'm a completely different story.

When we see each other, I try to start a conversation with him. He looks at me with that same emotionless façade. His eyes are so…….piercing…..they way he looks at me…..I never feel comfortable around him.

He makes it so obvious that something is up between the two of us; I thought we got past it already.

Whenever I see him act this way, it hurts.

It hurts to the point where I can't take it anymore. The pain is burning inside my chest…….I have ignored this crush for these past couple years trying to avoid it.

These feelings grew more intense and everyday when I would come home, I would run upstairs to my room, lock the door, and cry……

Cry until my eyes dried out of my tears.

What did I do to deserve this? I would ask myself.

I had to tell someone before it got worse. I decided to see Kurenai-sensei our school's councilor. She was understanding and basically told me to follow my heart in this situation. She sometimes would tell me to talk to Daichi about this whole thing and tell him how much it's been bothering me.

I certainly didn't have the audacity to do that…..

Kakashi-sensei and I have become close these past couple years, I broke down in front of him and he tried comforting me. His presence somehow gives me peace, I'm glad I can trust him.

"You know just for what this jerk's been doing, I am going to fail him next year" he said.

I looked up at him wiping away my tears, "You can't be serious sensei, you have to give Daichi the grade he deserves".

"Sakura. I love you like the daughter I never had, and if he does anything to hurt you, I will make him pay".

Talking with Kakashi-sensei about this whole thing made me feel a lot better. He was like a second father to me, he's someone I will always keep close in my heart for as long as I live.

As the days passed, I kept those things in mind.

I started to notice that Daichi would flirt with all of his girl friends right in front of me. I would wait until they disappeared in the hallway and I would run to the nearest bathroom and let my tears fall free.

Next, I talked to Tenten. She literally sat me down in front of her acting like a therapist.

"Sakura, if he's hurting you this much, why bother wasting your time on him?"

I tried to choke back my tears at the thought of Daichi, "T-Tenten……all these years I wanted to be friends, but harboring these feelings have become too much for me to handle. I can't do this anymore, it's so painful……I have never experienced anything like this……what does he want from me Tenten!? What did I do to deserve this?"

"I don't think he wants anything from you. He and his friends most likely know you like him, so he's probably toying with your emotions just to get a kick out of it. This feeling that you have…..that pain, it's called heartbreak. It takes time to get over; you're just going to have to cope for now until things get better".

I cut her off, "Tenten that's just it! W-What if I don't get over him? What if I spend the rest of my life crying and feeling miserable all of the time? Do you think he even knows what I'm feeling right now?"

"Yes you will Sakura! I know you can. You're not _willing_ to let go of him, that's the problem. I am most certainly sure he knows what you're feeling right now, that's why he's messing around with you. This has to stop Sakura; it's really unhealthy for you. I'm you're friend and I don't want to see you like this".

I thought about everything she said, "_Is he really toying with me? Why is it so hard to let him go?"_

"Tenten……d-do y-you think I'm………………….in l-love with D-Daichi?"

She had a serious expression on her face, "I don't know, are you?"

Then I had to think about it for a minute or two, "I-I don't know……is it possible to fall in love this young?"

"Actually, yes it is……my parents knew a couple that went to this very school and as soon as they graduated, they got married".

"W-Well………I think I might be………"

"That's something you're going to have to figure out for yourself Sakura……hey it's a really nice day out. Instead of being cooped up here why don't we go outside to the library? Hinata is back from running her errands, so let's meet up with her!"

"_I guess it'd be nice to forget all about this……."_

"Sure" I agreed with her.

We went outside and found Hinata finishing up her lunch, "Hey Hina!" Tenten waved.

"Hey Tenten, hey Sakura".

We sat down next to her but, as usual, I tuned everything out. Instead, I enjoyed the light spring breeze and the rays of sunlight warming up my skin.

The three of us got up and took a walk around campus, it was then when I spotted Hyuuga Neji staring in my direction again.

"_Doesn't this guy have anything better to do then just stare!?"_

Suddenly, I noticed that Neji began moving from his spot. He was walking over to us!

"_Oh God no! I hope this has absolutely nothing to do with me"._

I decided to join in Tenten and Hinata's conversation, "Hinata what makes you think that Kakashi-sensei is so innocent!?" Tenten questioned.

"B-But, he's always talking about doing the right thing and teaching others to follow in your footsteps and walk the 'righteous' path of life".

"Well I can tell you that Kakashi-sensei is a hypocrite! He reads _makeout paradise_ for goodness sakes! Do you think that's what you call _innocent_!?" Tenten pointed out.

I decided to jump in the conversation, "Tenten leave Kakashi-sensei alone. It's not like his bad reading habits have been corrupting you in any way have they?"

She scratched her head at the thought, "Well that's-"

"Hello Hinata, Tenten, Sakura".

We turned around and found Neji trying to be friendly.

"_What does he want? Neji never really talks to us anyways….he has his own 'popular' group"._

"Hello N-Neji……something you need to talk about?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see how you're doing…..well I gotta go. Duty calls".

He walked off and Hinata and I stood there dumfounded, I looked around and found no Tenten.

"Hinata where did Tenten go?"

"Ummm…..Oh I think she mentioned something about going to the bathroom".

"Oh…..does your cousin usually act like this?"

"Not particularly……..we don't really talk all that much. It was a little strange that he would just randomly come up to us like this".

"You know Hina, Neji was staring in our direction. Come to think of it, he always does it! It's kind of annoying".

She raised a brow, "Really?"

I nodded, "Oh yes, it's weird, he even ignores his group of friends and just looks in our direction……"

For the next couple weeks, Neji's made his "stalkerish" habits very noticeable and each passing second, I was getting irritated with his behavior.

As the three of us walked in the hallway, Tenten was blabbering about who knows what while Hinata listened the entire time. I, on the other hand, paid close attention to Neji.

"Oh crap, I forgot my notebook for my next class. Sakura, Hinata go on without me. I'll catch up later, see you guys at lunch!

That's when I realized. It wasn't me he was staring at…….

It was Tenten! As she walked back towards her locker, he followed where she was going!

I was dying to tell her after I figured out what just happened.

It was about time when the three of us had free period, and we spent it doing our work outside.

"Tenten, I need to tell you something……"

Both Tenten and Hinata stopped their conversation and listened to what I had to say, "Yes?"

I sighed trying to gather my thoughts together, "_I hope she doesn't think I'm crazy when I tell her this"._

Her reaction was something completely unexpected when I came right out and said, "Neji is stalking you".

"Whose Neji?"

Both mine and Hinata's mouths dropped open, "Tenten! How do you not know who Neji is!? He's Hinata's cousin for god's sake!"

"There's a Neji that goes to our school?"

"Yes, you haven't noticed a feminine looking guy?"

I looked back at Hinata, "No offense, but I must admit Neji is really cute!"

"None taken" Hinata replied.

"Wait seriously I don't know who you guys are talking about, can someone please point him out to me?"

Hinata moved her head to the training ground across from us. There was Neji trying to brush up on some advanced techniques. He turned around and relaxed for a water break in the hot sun.

Tenten got a good look at him, "Whoa, he's hot!"

"Yes he is, _that's _the guy who keeps staring at you".

She stared at him for a while, "Maybe I should pay more attention next time".

"Yes you should" Hinata stated.

As the year came closer to the end, I did nothing but prepare for my student council speech for the last 3 months.

Unfortunately I lost and was really disappointed when I found out the results. Of course Atsushi got in, along with a boy named Chiko who is Daichi's best friend and some other girl who got in because she hangs out with a big group of people.

I talked to Kurenai sensei about it and she gave me some ideas which I could share with the school and take more leadership roles in.

I sat in the library studying for the finals coming up in about a month or so and noticed Neji coming in the room. Tenten was sitting right across from me when I pointed his behavior to her, "Tenten! Look, Neji is staring at you again".

She put down her book and looked around the room, "Oh…..why is this guy staring at me?"

"I have no clue, but I think I'm going to take a little walk and you can sit here by yourself".

She grabbed my hand, "Sakura! You can't just leave me here with this guy who's obsessed with me!"

I removed her grip, "Just give him a chance; it looks like he's dying to talk to you! Have at least one conversation".

She sighed, "Oh alright……"

"Good" I pretended to leave the library, and instead sat in one of the cubicles hidden away behind the bookshelves. From here, I was able to hear to conversation clearly.

I watched as Neji looked around the room and approached Tenten while she was reading her book, "Good afternoon Tenten".

She noticed him and stopped what she was doing, "Hey Neji".

There was a long pause and the two just stared at each other, this is something that I was so glad not to deal with at the moment.

"_Come on! Say something!"_

"So…….what's up with you?" she started back up again.

"Oh….well nothing really. You know the usual: school, friends, and a lot of training…."

"Oh finally, someone I can have a decent conversation with!"

Neji gave her a questioning look.

"I train a lot too. You know, I've even gone to the village's blacksmith a couple times and watched him craft some of the latest weapons. I fight a lot with shuriken, kunai, katana……………….you name it".

"You seem like a devoted Kunoichi, we should…………….train together, sometime".

I snuck a peek at his face and found a light tinge of pink growing on his face, "_Awwww! He's blushing! Say yes Tenten!"_

As if reading my mind she accepted his offer, "Sure, I'd like a challenging sparring partner".

He smiled at her, "You know Tenten………you're different…….."

This time it was her turn to question him.

He continued after watching her reaction, "What I mean is……..that…….you're probably the only female in this school that's not really concerned about her looks or guys……..you're not afraid to show your true self, and I like that about you".

She started fiddling with her clothes and blushed, "O-Oh…..t-thanks….."

Suddenly out of nowhere, a puff of smoke appeared between the two of them. There was Rock Lee glaring at Neji.

"Hyuuga Neji, how dare you make a move on Tenten-chan! You know she doesn't like to be hit on".

This caught the attention of everyone in the library.

Tenten slouched down in her seat, hoping not to be seen.

Neji just smirked, "You know what Lee? Why don't you join both Tenten and I for a spar?"

"I accept your offer and I will show you who is better between the two of us, Hyuuga Neji mark my words!"

The librarian got up from her chair, scolded Lee, and was banned for the rest of the year.

"Neji, why did you invite Lee? He bothers me enough already……"

"Trust me, I can beat him. He has no chance, and once he's defeated he most likely will not come back leaving just the two of us".

Tenten blushed after that last sentence, "Oh…..yeah. So when do you want to start training?"

"Would this weekend work for you?"

Looks like she was eager to set the training date, "Yeah that works perfectly. I'll see you then!"

She waved good bye and walked out in the hallway, it looked like she was trying to find me.

"_Maybe I should leave the library before someone finds out that I was eavesdropping"._

I met up with Tenten prepared for what she had to say, "Oh Sakura! There you are. Neji is a really sweet guy, he asked me to be his sparring partner!"

"See! I'm glad you listened to me and gave him a chance. Why are you blushing Tenten?"

She looked away, "I'm not blushing Sakura, this is the blood rushing up because I'm excited! Well I have to go, my parents want me to be home early today. I'll see ya later!"

I waved to her and continued walking until I bumped into someone and dropped all of my books.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I said.

I didn't even notice who it was until a hand reached out to help me, "Need a hand?"

I looked up from the sprawled mess on the floor and saw Ino greeting me with a smile.

I was a little suspicious, "Oh…..thanks Ino".

She helped me to clean up everything and I tried walking away as fast as I could when she spoke again, "How has everything been with you Sakura?"

"Fine" I stated with an expressionless face.

She persisted, "Do you want to have lunch with me tomorrow?"

That questioned stopped me in my tracks, "_Why is she asking me? I thought she made it very closer that there was no need to continue this friendship"._

"What about Mitsuko, Chika, Aya, Mina and those people?" I retorted.

Her eyes lost their shine and her smile lessened, "I've stopped……seeing them".

I didn't say anything, signaling for Ino to explain.

"It's been rough these past few months. They've started treating me like trash, for no reason. I've been getting nothing from dirty looks and I know that they have been insulting me behind my back".

My expression didn't change, "Now you know how I feel. I left those girls a long time ago and I'm past it, I've made good friends now, there is nothing more I need".

"Yes……I guess this really was a wake up call for me. I always notice that you, Tenten, and Hinata are having lots of fun together. Every time I'm with those girls, I really can't be myself……at least now I know that they weren't my true friends. My true friends wouldn't be doing this to me would they?"

I nodded, "_Should I give her a chance? Maybe just one and see how it goes…."_

I openly accepted her invitation, "I'll see you at lunch tomorrow then".

**Author's Note: **How did you like this one? Now like I said before I will be skipping some stuff and try to update faster to get to the "good stuff". Review please!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	31. Changes

**Author's Note: **hellooo!!!! Gosh I've noticed that I've gotten more reviews overnight, do you all really like the story that much? I never thought it would be much of a successful. I guess it goes to show that life is full of suprises………anyway thanks again to my lovely readers. Your names will continue to be put up, so here's the list:

**Ariis101**

**NickytheHyuugaChick**

**crushinsammygirl**

**KageSakura1982**

**StarS 009**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

**GeeGee-Chan**

So like I promised, I'm speeding things up so you don't have to wait any longer, here is chapter 31!

**Chapter 31: Changes**

It's summer and the school year is over!

Temari and I have gotten back in touch with each other over this long period of time, we call each other almost everyday. It all started when I was so upset about Daichi. No one else was home so I had to talk to someone I trusted, so I decided to call Temari and hear what she had to say.

Her answer was different. She said that Daichi sees me nothing more than just a classmate that he has a none-caring attitude towards. He acts neutral and has no romantic feelings and apparently, he's not being a jerk either.

Everyone else I've talked to about this problem have said that he's playing with my emotions for his entertainment.

I give Ino a chance a couple months ago, and you know what? She pulled through.

We've become such good friends and have gotten together a whole bunch of times over the summer along with Temari and Hinata.

Tenten was out of the country for the first full month on vacation. When she got back, she had a tea party at her. I was the one who suggested it in the first place.

Ino, Hinata, and Temari weren't able to make it so we invited some other girls from school.

The whole time I was feeling like a true woman in a dress and just having a nice chit chat with the other girls.

It's kind funny that this is called a Tea party, and I didn't even touch the tea. Tenten's mom set up a whole buffet of finger foods which I couldn't keep my fingers off of!

I've been seeing my mom's side of the family fairly frequently. It's always nice to spend time with them; we're all so close with each other.

Earlier this year, I applied for an internship at the KIH (Konoha Institute of Health). They don't normally accept high school students, but lucky me, I got in!

When I arrived there on the first day, I was just stunned.

The campus was huge, there were so many different buildings that you had to take a shuttle around.

It reminds me a lot of college, it gives you such an independent feel to everything here.

I was placed in the cardiothoracic department where I get to work in the lab and observe my three other teammates work on things related to the heart, lungs, and chest.

Strangely enough, I was the only person in my group from Konoha. The KIH is a world renown institution.

Since I'm only sixteen, I can't really do much in the lab. I do get to see the surgeries though. They work on a lot of xenotransplantation, which is basically transplanting organs between two different species of animals.

Right now, the main project of the KIH is transplanting the heart of the pig to the baboon. They want to see if the baboon can live with two hearts, the one in its chest and the pig heart in its abdomen.

I know it sounds a little strange doesn't it?

The really cool part is that the transplants often work without any complications within the baboon!

I've started doing some work in the lab like isolating lymphocytes. You probably don't know what that is do you?

When isolating lymphocytes you are basically extracting white blood cells from the blood of the pig or other animal. In order to do so, you have to get rid of the debris and other parts of the blood that you don't want.

After isolating, I get to count the cells after the entire procedure and there are times where I get to about 30-40 million cells or very little. I'll be coming back here every summer from now on, so there's always room for improvement.

I've gone to all of the lab meetings and met to the rest of the staff. The one who heads this entire place is Tsunade-sama. I'd love to keep moving up a notch and hopefully, I can work under her someday and learn all of her medical techniques.

She is known throughout the world as probably one of the greatest medical ninja that ever lived! On top of that, she's the current Hokage.

How great is that? She must gain a whole lot of respect from the elders.

I have received a whole lot of school work over the summer, so I've pretty much been concentrating on that.

Whenever I have free time, I walk around the village and meet up with my friends.

Hinata is still not over Naruto, which isn't surprising to me. We always catch him slurping up ramen at the Ichiraku ramen shop. Kiba only goes with him to flirt with Ayame, the owner's daughter.

Naruto has still been trying to ask me out, and because I'm such a good friend, I turn him down.

Anyway, like I said, he's not my type and dating is out of the question right now.

Mom has been sending me to run some errands for her at the village market so I go and buy some groceries for her. While I carry these heavy bags, I could sense some powerful chakra levels not to far away from here.

After about 5 minutes when I arrived, I found Neji and Tenten training again.

"_This should be good….."_

I head behind the tree and decided to watch the two of them. Neji was pretty much in the lead, but despite his use of the byakugan, Tenten was putting up a good fight.

There were shuriken, kunai, and all sorts of weapons thrown everywhere!

It wasn't until approximately ten minutes later when they landed themselves in an awkward situation.

Neji threw a couple shuriken at her, Tenten tried to move away but she accidentally tripped over one of the tree roots and fell right on top of Neji.

She was blushing like crazy, well I would too if I were in that kind of situation.

"Oh my……I'm so so sorry Neji! I didn't-"

Neji put his two fingers on her lips to shut her up, "No, trust me it was just an accident. It's no big deal".

They stayed in that position for a while and I was just sitting there smirking while my inner self cheering for the two of them.

"_YES!!!! I knew it!!!_"

I'll bet you anything that Neji liked that Tenten was right on top of him. My pondering came to a halt when Gai-sensei came into the picture.

"Hello my youthful-eh??? What do we have here?"

Tenten's face became as red as a cherry and quickly removed her self from Neji.

"Oh no, Sensei it's not what you think".

Gai grinned at the two of them, "I knew it! I saw this coming! Ahhh….the power of love brings youth together!"

Neji got up and brushed off his pants, "Listen, it was an accident. Stop making such a big deal out of it".

"Alright sure whatever you say…….anyway, Neji and Tenten I want the two of you to take a break today. Lee and I want to get some training done. As you know a couple months ago, you beat him to a pulp and I do not whatsoever want my pupil to fall behind!"

The two left and Lee arrived, "Hellooooooooooo my youthful student!"

"Gai-sensei! Let's train!"

I watched Neji and Tenten, they seemed to be going into the village. I wanted to greet them but decided against it.

"_Nahhh……maybe I should leave those two love birds alone"._

I returned home, gave mom the groceries, and went upstairs to my room. For some reason, I had the same spark of excitement for junior year as I did for becoming a freshman.

I promised myself that I was going to be the more mature Sakura and change.

"_Don't focus on what Atsushi is doing; focus on what I'm capable of. _ _Perform a lot better in school this year than I did for sophomore and……..stop paying attention to Daichi and his stupid friends"._

For the rest of the summer I kept those things in mind and, things started looking up for me. I did a lot of my summer work for school and started preparing myself for the upcoming year. Then the surprising thing was, my feelings for Daichi were fading.

It was working! I was finally getting over him! The only thing I hoped for was to make sure those feelings didn't return once the school year started back up again.

"_Now I know for a fact………….I was never in love with Daichi after all………"_


	32. Stranger in the Night

**Author's Note: **hey everyone! I can't believe that I already have 60 reviews. Thanks again to my fans:

**Ariis101**

**NickytheHyuugaChick**

**crushinsammygirl**

**KageSakura1982**

**StarS 009**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

**GeeGee-Chan**

Now, onto this next chapter! I hope you really like it, ok I think I'm going to let you read now.

**Chapter 32: Stranger in the Night**

Time……..it passes by so quickly.

Five years, I can't believe it!

I am now a mature and a grown up twenty-one year old woman. Once my junior year of high school started, I focused on the things that were important to me and put all of those trivial matters behind.

Daichi and his friends still acted like jerks, but I paid them no heed.

Like Iruka Sensei said, I've bloomed into a beautiful blossom. No longer am I that diamond in the rough, I've worked long and hard to get where I am now.

I did receive some academic awards, but the most surprising this was……….I actually got the Hokage's prize.

All of the high school seniors were required to sit on stage and for the Hokage's prize, the principal made a small speech about the recipient.

I remember his exact words, "From the good and the bad, this young woman strived to achieve. She is someone you can always depend on, an overachieving scholar, a dedicated ninja, and a blossoming young woman who will continue to grow and become successful. I hear by bestow the Hokage's prize upon-"

I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers; my family was sitting in the front row. They're known how much this award means to me.

"Haruno Sakura".

My eyes snapped open and I shook hands with the principal and relished the moment.

I went to Konoha University and studied medicine while spending a lot of time at the KIH researching and helping to perform surgeries. After all these years, I was able to meet Tsunade-sama. She taught me so much, and I don't think I could have gotten this far without her. Not only did she teach me different medical ninjutsus and healing techniques, but she's also been training me to utilize my inhumane strength. I can break a building in a matter of seconds. Kakashi sensei, Naruto, and I spend all of our free time at the training grounds.

Speaking of Naruto, he and I have become the best of friends.

He was a flirt in high school but he learned to accept that I didn't see him in that way and we suddenly cliqued as friends. Naruto finally noticed Hinata after all these years and seems to like to talk to her a lot. Although…….he's still too dense about Hinata's feelings towards him.

"Why does your face always turn around me Hinata-chan?" He would ask.

Every time Naruto gets too close up to her, she just faints and I have to make up some sort of excuse to get her out of this mess. It's not like Naruto would suspect anything anyways, like I said, he's a little too dense to figure things out.

As for Kiba, well, he's dating Ayame. After all these years, he finally got the guts to ask her and apparently she's always found him attractive so she accepted.

Lee finally gave up on Tenten about a couple years ago since he noticed that there was something going on between her and Neji. Somehow, he developed a crush on me. We've become friends and I've been ignoring his strange teenage behavior around me. I do think that the blushing and bringing me flowers almost everyday is cute, although, sometimes it does annoy me.

Tenten and Neji have become much more than just "sparring partners", he's been asking her out on dates and of course she's accepted. I'm guessing they are now officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

I've started to notice now that every one I know has developed feelings for one another. I'm wondering if that's going to happen to me at all.

Ino for a fact is the dating type. She's been wanting to find someone for a long time. One of my new team members, Sai, has been helping her to train and become a more skilled kunoichi. They are both appreciative of the arts which is how they bonded and became good friends. She's been flirting with him to get his attention, but like Naruto, Sai is very dense when it comes to these things.

Shikamaru, Ino's teammate, has become one of my good friends. The guy is a genius. He was usually placed on missions with me, it really helped, because of his analytical and observant mind. Temari has been coming to Konoha lately to help out with missions and acts as the liason for both Konoha and Suna. She, Shikamaru, and I had some escort mission a while back and those two were arguing the entire time! I couldn't even get a break. They've become good friends despite their constant bickering, and I've started to notice, that the two of them are always hanging out with each other in the village. Naruto actually asked them if they were on a date, but the both of them denied it. I know for a fact there's something more to their relationship than meets the eye.

Throughout these past years, love is something which I've always been thinking about. Everyone has their person which I know will grow into more than just crushes.

Who's out there for me? I would always ask myself.

My mom even has her own romantic story.

I've always wanted that kind of thing happen to me, some sort of a romantic adventure. I know, I'm always living in my own little world but I can't help it.

Can't a girl dream?

I just left work at the Konoha Hospital and am taking a nice walk around the village.

It's great to just be done with work and relax for the rest of day.

"_This village is huge! Now that I think about it, I haven't really explored the whole place. Why don't I do that right now?"_

It took about a couple of hours for me to walk around. The mixed colors of the twilight sky disappeared and turned pitch black.

I couldn't see a thing!

"_Oh crap! Where am I?"_

As much as I didn't want to think about it………I was lost.

I had to feel my around but I couldn't recognize where I was at this point. I guess I had no choice but to yell for help.

"Hello!? Anyone there!?"

There was no answer, "_Is everyone sleeping already?"_

I checked my watch and it was about 10:30 at night.

I walked a bit further and tripped, "_Ouch!"_

There was a small street light, which lit the area dimly. I looked around until I caught sight of no houses. This area was just some compound of some sort.

The only thing I noticed was a symbol on the wood of the compound. It was a big circle divided into two colors: red and white.

I found a door open and decided to check the place out. It was dark but the places where the moonlight shone on, there were burnt marks.

"_Where am I?"_

There was a staircase not too far from me and I decided to explore further. It led to another hallway and there was a larger room with two doors. From the light coming through the window, there were more burn marks and all of the furniture was destroyed.

I was about to leave the room when I saw a shadow approaching, "_Holy Crap! Oh no! What do I do in this situation. Ok just calm down and stay in the same position, maybe this person can help me get back home!"_

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" I heard the figure say.

I turned around but couldn't see the person at all, by the sound of it, it was a man.

"Answer me!" the smooth voice commanded.

I gulped, "U-ummm……I-I got lost and somehow I ended up here………"

The person didn't say anything, he just stayed still.

It was a bit awkward and, as usual, I had to be the one to start back up the conversation, "I wanted to explore the rest of the village. Night time approached faster than I expected……..and somehow…….I ended up here" I sheepishly grinned.

The figure moved closer, "Do you know how dangerous it is for someone like _you_ to be wandering the streets of Konoha at this hour?"

I raised a brow, "Wait……what do you mean someone like me? If you must know I, Haruno Sakura, am a highly skilled ninja. If I wanted too, I could break you into pieces. You don't want to underestimate me".

He walked over and grabbed my wrist, "Oh really? Do you think someone as _'skilled'_ and _'powerful_'' as you can break someone from the _Uchiha clan_ into pieces?"

The person's eyes became red with black dots swirling around, "_Is he human!?"_

That was the last I saw of him until darkness took over me…………

**Author's Note: **Soooo…..what did you think of this chapter? Review and let me know!!!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	33. As the Mystery Unfolds

**Author's Note: **I hope you all liked that last chapter where the "mystery man" made his big debut. Keep on reading to unravel this sort of mystery, on to chapter 33!

**Chapter 33: As the Mystery Unfolds**

Has my head ever been in so much pain before? I'm getting a really bad migraine!

It's strange, I'm awake but my eyes are still closed.

"Is she alright!?" I heard a high-pitched feminine voice say.

I could hear people mumbling all sorts of different things, some how, I just couldn't wake up.

"Tsunade-san…….how long until she wakes up?" I heard the same voice ask.

There was a long pause, "Not much longer, just wait for about fifteen to twenty minutes".

I heard the door open and the footsteps of what sounded like two people came into the room, "What happened to Sakura-chan!? I just saw her yesterday! She seemed fine to me!"

"Calm down Naruto, Hinata could you please escort him out of the room for a little bit?"

"Of course Tsunade-sama" and the door closed behind the two of them. Even in this state with the door closed, I could hear Naruto talking. He was probably disturbing the entire hospital.

"Rina, I'm just going to have the two of us in here. I don't want anyone disturbing Sakura".

"I think that's a good idea Tsunade-san. Actually, I forgot that I have to talk to Danzo-sama and the council of elders with my husband about something. I'll be back in about an hour or so. I must say as his assistant, you're doing a great job".

She smirked, "Go on ahead, he's one cranky hokage…….."

Tsunade-sama never liked Danzo. Come to think of it, he's not very popular amongst Konoha. The elders didn't want one of the sannin to take power because they wanted more representation within the government. She was removed when I was seventeen and ever since, the people haven't been very happy with their leader. Tsunade does have some say since she's done a good job with our nation, which is nice to know. As long as I'd rather talk to her about missions then Danzo, then I'm ok. I find it funny how Naruto disrespects him, but for some reason, Danzo doesn't say anything. He just shrugs it off. I asked Naruto a while ago, but he just shrugged it off and said it was nothing.

The door slammed shut, meaning, that mother must have left already.

It wasn't until about 20 minutes later when my brain suddenly starting functioning properly and I could hear the machine next to me beeping nonstop.

"She's waking up! Shizune I want you to help me carefully remove a couple of the masks and tubes from her body".

"Hai Tsunade-sama" I heard Shizune say. As long as I've known her, she's always been really polite and obedient. It's interesting; I had no idea that Shizune is the niece of Tsunade san's lover, Dan.

During the years when for some reason I was pondering about love, lady Tsunade would always tell me stories about him. They met when he advocated for the rights of all medical ninja to be placed in each squad. Tsunade was also one of those strong believers and the two began dating because of it. During the second shinobi world war, Dan was fatally founded and unfortunately Tsunade could not save him. This is the reason why she took on the role of being Konoha's Hokage. To live his dream, and in this way, she ensured herself that she can protect her loved ones. This is why she's one of my role models. Tsunade is a woman who has this tough demeanor and is willing to put her life on the line for someone else. She reminds me a lot of Naruto as long as we've been the best of friends.

"Tsunade-san! Should you really be drinking sake at a time like this? One wrong move and Sakura could be in grave danger!"

That is one of the reasons why I usually feel more comfortable with Shizune taking over some of the procedures. She actually thinks about the consequences and doesn't come up with some ridiculous excuse like, "It helps me to focus more and I've gotten used to it these past few years".

"Shizune, I can hold alcohol very well in my system. It helps me to focus more and I've gotten used to it these past few years".

See what I mean?

Throughout the entire operation, I tried not to think about Tsunade's foolish behavior.

Thankfully, I survived.

"Sakura, are you there?"

My mind was registering what in the world was going on around me. I felt someone stroke my face and push my long hair back behind my ears. My eyes tried opening, but the light was too blinding. My vision was a little too blurry. It all came together once I saw some blonde blob right in front of me.

"_That must be Tsunade!" _

"Tsunade-san, let's not rush the poor girl. She's still trying to recover".

She sighed, "I suppose you're right……let's just wait for about ten more minutes outside with Naruto".

"Of course" the tall black-haired blob said.

The two left the room and I was left all alone thinking about how I even got here in the first place.

"_Exactly what happened? Who was that guy? Was it some nightmare I had?"_

I thought about it for a couple minutes.

"_No, it couldn't have been a nightmare because I'm sure I wouldn't have wound up in the hospital……"_

The haunting memory came back to me, "_Those eyes……….that guy didn't even seem human. It was weird; he grabbed me and forced me to look up at them. Then………everything was a blur from there…….."_

My eyes suddenly opened and the world didn't have an unclear appearance to me.

Then the door opened, "SAKURA-CHAN!!!!"

I could recognize that voice anywhere, it's great to have such a caring friend like Naruto.

He immediately rushed to my side and bombarded me with so many questions which I didn't even have the answers to.

"Naruto!" both of our attentions turned to Tsunade.

"She approached my bedside, "Can't you understand that she's not really up to answering your questions!?"

I sat up, "No…..its ok, I feel a lot better right now".

Hinata stood next to me, "So, do you remember anything Sakura?"

"Well…….I do remember last night. For some reason, I wanted to explore the rest of the village after finishing up with work. I didn't think it would take that long, and I guess night time came faster than I expected it to. It turned pitch black and I couldn't even see a thing…….I tripped over something and then came across this…….compound……."

Tsunade raised her brow at the comment, "Go on……."

"Let's see…….umm…..Oh yeah. I found one of the doors open and decided to go in. From what I could see with the moonlight shining through, there were burn marks everywhere and the furniture was destroyed. I walked up the stairs and entered this one room which had double doors. This room I would say probably had the most damage done to it. I looked around some more until I caught sight of this dark figure outside of the room. I ignored it, but it started moving and I was getting creeped out. I basically stayed in my position the whole time and hoped that whoever it was, they could help me get back home".

"You're too naïve Sakura….." commented Tsunade.

I continued ignoring what she just said, "The person came in and asked what I was doing. It turned out to be a man actually. I told him that I got lost while "exploring the village. Then I got really ticked off when he asked why someone like _me _was wandering around Konoha this late at night. I told him that I am a highly skilled ninja who could just about break him into pieces".

"And then what!?" pushed Naruto, hoping something better would come out of this situation.

I gulped, giving him a bad sign, "Ummm….w-well…..that guy appeared right in front of me with so much speed that I couldn't even _see_ him moving. He grabbed my wrists and, I guess………..entranced me with his eyes. I couldn't even remember what happened afterward".

No one said anything. They were probably all shocked until Shizune asked, "W-What did his eyes…..l-look like exactly?"

"They were like a……….blood red color with strange black shapes swirling really quickly in his eyes……"

"Did he say anything else to you Sakura?" Tsunade asked trying to investigate further.

"H-He said……….something about……….the……….."

"It's ok if you don't remember, I just wanted to-"

I cut her off, "No wait……Tsunade-san…..I think I do remember…..he said something about the…….Uchiha clan……."

"The Uchiha clan!?" she asked surprised.

"What's up with the Uchiha clan granny?" asked Naruto.

She sat down and began to explain, "The Uchihas were a family of hired mercenaries for many centuries. They were the most powerful and had an unhealthy rivalry with the Senju clan, who were the second most influential in the world at the time. This rivalry continued for so many years and the Senju clan leader, Hashirama Senju, grew tired of the fighting. He approached Madara Uchiha, the clan leader, with a piece treaty and he forcefully accepted. The two clans later formed Konoha and Hashirama became the first Hokage. Madara believed that this was a chance for the Senju to take control of the Uchihas and he left the village. Several years after his betrayal, the second Hokage, gave the Uchiha clan control of the Konoha police force which was a sign of his trust. My father told me that the Uchiha clan compound was later set on fire and there were no survivors left".

"_No survivors? So what does this guy have to do with the Uchiha clan?"_

I spoke up again, "But lady Tsunade…….what's so special about this clan? Why couldn't anyone else be hired as mercenaries?"

"Well, they had a Kekkei Genkai, a special inherited trait of their clan. You know those red eyes and strange black shapes swirling around? That, Sakura, is called the Sharingan. It predicts and copies the movements of your opponent, which is why the Uchiha were well sought out people at the time".

"_I didn't even attack him though; he was just able to knock me out somehow…this whole thing keeps getting weirder and weirder"._

"Tsunade-sama then what should we do about this mysterious person? Even if he let Sakura live, what will happen if he is willing to take on Madara's work and make Konoha his? You know just how ruthless the Uchihas were!" Shizune informed.

"You're right………I'll have the ANBU blacktop squad look after things and they will let me know if any suspicion arises".

"What now Tsunade-san?" asked Hinata.

"Well……Hinata you're ready for your mission tomorrow right?"

"Yes….I am….it's to guard one of the feudal lords isn't it?"

Tsundade nodded, "Yes it is. Please arrive at the gates early tomorrow morning".

"Wait! Granny, she's not going by herself is she!? You know guarding a feudal lord is dangerous right!?"

"Calm down Naruto, Hinata will be just fine. She's going to have Kiba, Shino, and of course Akamaru with her".

He calmed down immediately after she explained the situation, "_Is Naruto worried about Hinata? That's so cute!"_

"Sakura, Naruto……." She started back up again as our heads shot up.

"You both will also be having a mission in a few days. I'll give you more information the day of, so I would like you to arrive early. The only thing I'm going to tell you is that you will be having a new squad member".

"What about Sai!?" asked Naruto.

She laid back in her chair sipping more of her sake, "I sent Sai with Yamato and Shikamaru to discuss some business with the Kazekage. They will be staying there for a couple days. So I want you meet me in my office early in the morning. Understood?"

"Hai" Naruto and I both complied.

"Sakura, I want you to go back home and rest up for this mission".

"I will" I assured her.

"_I wonder what the new guy is going to be like……guess I'll find out in a few days"._

**Author's Note: **Well, what did you think? Review please! Also sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was busy. Chapter 34 will be here shortly!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	34. Thoughts

**Author's Note: **Hello again! I hope all weren't upset about me skipping 5 years. Please let me know if you are, then I can possibly delete those chapters? As I said, I'd do anything for my readers. Enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 34: Thoughts**

Ever since Lady Tsunade let me out of the hospital, I have been resting this entire day. Two nights ago, when that incident happened with that……..guy, it's really taken a toll on my body.

No wonder the Uchiha were hired most of the time. They can do things which are………..not humanly possible.

I have never been this afraid before. I spent practically these five years training for something like this.

And what do I do?

Black out and faint like some weakling……

I thought I was past that stage so many years ago. This is a signal for me to step it up a notch and train harder.

My family just went out to dinner with my aunt Shiemi. It was nice and relaxing, I'm always happy to see her.

Well at least I thought I was ok during dinner time.

We were just sitting there eating and I couldn't help but overhear the conversation between aunt Shiemi and my parents about the concept of love and marriage.

She said one of her neighbors is having a huge problem with that. Their daughter apparently is in love with some guy, but his mother is having issues with her. The girl is well-educated and very pretty but the mother has to be so nit-picky and have something to complain about. I think aunt Shiemi mentioned something about her father being a farmer.

What's wrong with that? As long as she's done well in her life academically and ethically, it shouldn't matter!

People can be so superficial……..

But I agree with my parents when they said that this is the guy's fault. If he really loves this girl, then he should tell his mother that this woman in his life is the only one who makes him happy.

But no, he has to be such a mama's boy.

That's what happens a lot of the time.

For some reason, I started imagining the whole situation.

And I couldn't help but cry. Obviously I didn't want to show I was upset in front of everyone, so I kept it to myself.

I didn't even really know what I was crying about.

I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to love and romance. I know its really weird because I have never been in a relationship before.

Every time I look at my parents, it's the way they look at each other which kind of makes me upset.

Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy that they have a successful marriage.

Maybe the answer is……….I really want to find someone special in my life.

I have so many examples around me. Neji and Tenten, Shikamaru and Temari (even though they probably don't want to admit it), Ino and Sai (even though Ino can be a bit of a flirt and I don't really think she's looking for 'true' love yet), Naruto and Hinata (even though Hinata is a bit too shy too approach Naruto and speaking of Naruto, he's too dense to notice!).

Then I think about Rock Lee.

I am not judging on his looks whenever I turn him down. It's just that, there's really no 'connection' between the two of us. He is very sweet, but not my type.

I'm really grateful to have someone like Lee. The whole time when I was paying attention and wanting to be friends with that complete jerk Daichi, Lee has been there all along.

Sure he was following me around and staring, but he was so caring. I couldn't ask for a better friend.

Like Tenten, I did think he was a bit odd but overtime I grew to respect him. It's not only me, everyone else in our entire group has.

Rock Lee has proven himself to the village that he started out from scratch; enduring all hardships it takes to be a true ninja.

I still see Daichi around, and I think he and his friends have come to mature and respect Lee.

I don't care if people still think he's a 'geek' or not, we're friends and that's all that matters.

He's always had trouble with mastering both genjutsu and ninjutsu, but that didn't stop him from practicing and becoming successful at taijutsu.

Daichi and I still see each other around in the village, but I stopped getting intimidated and learned to ignore him.

You must be so proud of me by now.

Is love something normal for young women like myself to constantly be thinking about?

I still believe in fairytales. I know it's a bad thing, but sometimes I zone out and live in my own fantasy world.

It's mainly about finding the love of my life.

What will he be like? What will he look like? How will I meet him? Who is he?

These are the big questions which I've been hoping to be answered for a while now, but I guess I have to be patient.

I want him to treat me well and he has to be smart, but the number one rule is: Whoever this guy may be, he absolutely _cannot _be an arrogant jackass.

Why would I even think that? I would _never ever _fall in love with some jerk. Remember Daichi? We all know how that turned out right?

It's kind of strange……..I already have this image of him in my head. It's the same one I've had since I was four years old while training with father.

His hair is dark which happens to be spiked up in an interesting way at the back of his head. Somehow, I find it attractive. His enticing onyx eyes make me second guess if I'm dreaming or not. He sure does have a nice build. Well he has to be in shape if he's always wearing that same ANBU uniform in my day dreams.

The one feature which ties everything about him together would be his smirk which doesn't seem to disappear every time I think about him.

He obviously doesn't exist. I'm definitely positive that this is the kind of guy that every girl dreams about.

I shouldn't get my hopes up, life doesn't work that way. Mom is right I need to face reality for once.

For some reason, whenever I imagine him, I actually think of the two of us being married.

I've thought about some pretty hurtful situations where we get into huge arguments.

Sometimes when these kinds of things enter my mind, I start becoming a little apprehensive about falling in love.

My family does know a few others who have pretty dysfunctional marriages. That's one thing I'm scared of.

What's going to happen if that happens to me?

Tenten and I talked about this whole thing. She says Neji can be a cold-hearted jerk who acts like he doesn't give a damn about anyone. Then there are times where is the other extreme and starts acting like some cocky jackass.

These are actually her exact words when the two of them get into arguments.

The one important thing I've learned from Tenten's heated discussions with me is that when you fall in love, you must learn to accept that person's fault.

I can definitely see that. How else would the relationship work out?

The one thing I don't understand is why I keep thinking about this stuff. Maybe I'm just curious……..

I wonder……..could I possibly be in love with this 'imaginary' guy?

"_No……that's completely and utterly impossible! What are you thinking Sakura!?" _I thought lying on my bed.

I just can't force myself to stop thinking about all of this…….I must learn to be patient, every single person at least once in their lives experiences love.

My own mother at my age didn't even _want _to get married! My father's brother told me about my dad but she didn't even want to go as far as the rain village to meet some stranger. Besides, this was during her depression period over what happened with Iruka-Sensei. My grandparents were really worried about mother and asked to give this guy a chance.

A while later, she and my aunt Ryoko went and got to meet my father. Mom said that right there and then, she knew that this was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She said that it was a feeling that no person could describe, she somehow could trust him even though they just met.

It's a lot like love at first sight. I kind of don't and at the same time do believe in it, it's a little strange.

I completely denied it in front of mother but she just smiled and said, "Alright then you'll find out what I'm talking about when you're older".

She probably thanked her parents after meeting father.

I've read so many stories in my life where the two people have suffered so many hardships in their lives, but in the end, live happily after.

Well some were tragic stories.

There was one story which I absolutely loved. I read it when I was about 15 or 16, it's amazing how I still remember. It's about a beautiful girl with a broken past. She's poor but has one really big ambition, to become a doctor. The main problem in the story is that she's a man hater. She hates men because her father left her mother to die alone while she was sick with some disease. The daughter was born an illegitimate child. One day, her best friend sent her out to run some errands and she saw the village women running after some guy. The girl felt sorry for him and decided to help. She saved him and this guy took some interest in her. Before she knew it, this man she saved was the lord of the entire village. He was the one man, besides her father, who she despised the most because of his drop-dead gorgeous looks and power. She ended up staying at the lord's castle to heal a rape victim. The funny thing was, the castle was filled with all men. So learned to trust them and they all became friends. In the end, she went back on her promise and fell in love with the lord.

There was so much more that went on in the story which really got me to enjoy reading it. There was so much angst, drama, action, mystery and of course……….romance.

Sometimes I wish I were in her situation.

There was another story which I didn't even finish, but I'll tell you anyway. It was actually based on ninjas like me. The funny thing was that the author decided to make the predominant setting in Konoha.

The main characters were three people, two boys and one girl. The one boy was shunned from society, the other's family was killed, and the girl was very superficial and crushed on the boy whose family was murdered. The three of them were placed on a team, requiring all of them to put their differences aside and work together. After plenty of missions, they became close friends and matured in each different way. The boy who was shunned created many bonds and had strong relationships with so many other people. The other boy started to acknowledge his teammates and stopped having a major superiority complex. The girl left became more mature and cared less about flirting and looking good for boys. She felt the need to train harder and started to fall in love not with the boy who had the highest grades in class and had good looks, but with him as a person with all that he's gone through. Everything was ok, until that boy sought revenge for his family. The girl did everything she could to stop him, but it was too late. He left her with those two haunting words, "thank you". He left Konoha to seek power in order to avenge his clan. The two remaining remembers of the team devoted about two or three years training to get their friend back. Many times, it's been a failure and the new enemy has done some pretty heinous crimes. Even that didn't stop that other two from holding onto those bonds.

That's all I remember reading. You could definitely call this a tragic love, but I believe, that somehow he will come to he senses and fall in love with her that way everyone can be happy.

I felt so stupid for thinking that Daichi was that special person in my life. He's just some immature guy who never cared about me. Anyway, if he did want to be my friend, he would have stopped listening to whatever his friends were putting into his heads.

I used to wonder why all of those 'popular' girls would get all of the guys. It's not like I was jealous or anything, it made me feel a little worse about myself.

But I learned that those girls didn't have any self respect whatsoever and that was the very reason why those guys ignored me and my friends and pursued them.

I'm happy I didn't turn out like those sluts. I feel comfortable being the decently-dressed, self-respecting Sakura.

A yawn slipped through my mouth, "_Guess it's time to get some sleep, I need all the rest I can get for the mission tomorrow….."_

And after seeing the last image of my fantasy man, my lips formed a smile as I soothed myself to sleep whispering these last words,

"_I'll even wait for eternity to find you…………"_

**Author's Note: **Well how did you like this one? Review and let me know! By the way, the one I used was a story which I absolutely loved so thanks to xXAsuka-chanXx.

Thanks to all of my readers for squeezing in some extra time to read my story.

Sweetness.


	35. The Mission

**Author's Note: **Hey again! I hoped you all liked that last chapter, and here is the next one! Please read and review!!!! Thanks and enjoy!

**Chapter 35: The Mission  
**

My alarm set off at 5:00 A.M. in the morning, "_Ughhh........shut it alarm and let me go back to sleep!"_

I kept my head in the pillow and stretched my arm as far as I could to turn it off. Suddenly after about 15 minutes of pure silence, my phone rang.

"_Who in their right mind would dare to disturb me this early in the morning!?"_

"Hello?" I answered groggily.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!!!"

"_And that person had to be Naruto......"_

"What do you want! Can't you tell that I'm sleeping!?" I asked him in a cranky mood.

"Sakura-chan, you do realize that we have a mission today right?"

His words took about a couple minutes to register in my brain, "_Holy Crap! How could I forget! Tsundade is going to have my hide if I don't get there now!"_

"Naruto, is everyone there already?"

He sighed on the other line, "Yes Sakura-chan.......everyone is here. Including the new guy and granny is getting pretty pissed. So if I were you, I'd stop talking and hurry up to the Hokage tower".

The last I heard was Tsunade yelling at Naruto on the other line and he hung up on me.

I quickly got out of bed, brushed my teeth, changed and ate a light breakfast.

When wearing ninja clothing, I like to keep myself comfortable. I adjusted my black Velcro-strapped sandals and made sure my outfit looked presentable for this mission.

It was basically a light pink sleeveless quipao dress one inch above my knees with longer black biker shorts reaching up to about my mid calf. I tied my pink shoulder-length hair into a braid and placed the Konoha headgear on the top of my head to use as a head band.

This style reminded me a lot of how I used to be when I was about twelve or thirteen, the style was the same but the color was different. The dress that I wore then, wasn't the best to fit in, but what I'm wearing now is made of spandex which makes everything a lot easier to move in.

I went back to my room and retrieved my bag for the mission. Tsunade said something about it being a while so I packed as many necessities as I possibly could.

I closed the door quietly to make sure I didn't wake up everyone else.

The walk to the Hokage tower wasn't very long, about ten or fifteen minutes. It was nice to exercise for a little bit early in the morning.

"_Let's hope Tsunade isn't too mad at me for being a little late....."_

The Hokage tower came into view. I entered, walked up the stairs, and found my way into a long corridor.

I looked at all of the doors until I came across one which said, "**Hokage's Office**".

Danzo basically has Tsunade do all of his paperwork for him because he just wants the publicity without the responsibility.

"_Pshh.....some Hokage........It's too bad Tsunade isn't allowed to get into office again, someone else who is actually worthy of this job should be names as Hokage"._

I turned the knob a little frightened of what Tsunade would say to me.

The door opened the first thing I noticed was Tsunade impatiently tapping her foot with her hands on her hips. I sheepishly grinned and tried to come up with a decent excuse. Of course I couldn't lie to her though, because she probably knew that I accidentally slept in.

"Ummm.....The alarm clock was being a pain....."

"That's what they all say Sakura. Next time, don't do it again....."

I was relieved, "Hai".

She sat back down at her desk and Naruto trapped me into one of his infamous bear hugs.

"N-Naruto!!! Can't b-breathe....."

"Oh sorry Sakura-chan!" he sheepishly grinned.

"It's fine, Tsunade-san, is Kakashi-sensei going to be with us?"

She nodded, "No. I sent him, Ebisu, Anko, and a couple of others off on a mission a couple days ago while you were in the hospital".

"Oh....." I said.

Naruto spoke up, "Which is why, Sakura-chan, we have a new teammate!"

"Really where is he?"

Waking up really early in the morning really does a lot to you. The guy was right in front of me leaning against the wall at the corner of the room.

Naruto moved my head to his direction.

There was something familiar about the guy......like I've seen him before.

His hair was black spiked up at the back of his head.

"_How much gel does this guy use!?"_

His eyes were an onyx color.

"_Wait! He looks just like the guy I've been seeing in my dreams. This is really wierd.......but he's even better in person!"_

This man right in front of me was drop dead gorgeous, and I could feel heat rising up to my cheeks.

I decided to approach him and make conversation, "Hi, my name is Sakura! What's yours?"

He just looked at me up and down and looked away without saying a thing.

"_That jerk! Doesn't he have the courtesy to respond to me!? Forget it, he can't be the guy I've been seeing in my mind all of these years. I hate him already......."_

Tsunade seemed to notice that my mood darkened. She took a sip of her sake and proceeded to explain today's mission to change the subject.

"Ok you three: Uzumaki Naruto-"

"Oh yeah!" Naruto cut in.

"Haruno Sakura".

I smiled and could feel the excitment bubbling up in my system.

She continued, "And.........I'm sorry what was your name again?"

Naruto and I looked at the man in the corner of the room. It took him about a couple minutes to tell her his name.

"_What's wrong with this guy? Does he not know his name?"_

He looked up at Tsunade and answered the question, "Ryo, Hayashi Ryo".

She nodded, "Ok......Hayashi Ryo are you three prepared and willing to risk your own lives for this mission?"

"Hai" the three of us said.

She continued, "Ok, as Konoha Jonin you should know that this mission will be divided into two parts: Espionage and protection. You will be protecting the Lightening country's head priest, Ayumu. He carries with him the sacred jewel of the heavens which he takes to travel as a pilgrimage. You must escort him to the shrine located at the top of one of the sacred mountain tops in the lightening country. I, along with Danzo, will be arriving in about a week or so later to attend a conference. In the mean time you three will be required to sneak around and find the heaven and earth scrolls. These are said to contain great power to the beholder, and most people want to get their hands on them to obtain infinite power. Do whatever you can to keep watch and also wander around to get some information from a couple of the Raikage's apprentices since he will be at the meeting. Do you all understand your duties?"

After listening carefully to her instructions, we nodded.

She clasped her hands together, "Good. Now Ayumu will be stopping by here shortly in about an hour or so, you three are to meet him at the front gates by then. Also, Sakura……"

My head shot up at the sound of my name, "Yes Tsunade-san?"

"About what happened to you three nights ago with that man………I've had plenty of search parties around the village, and there seems to be no sight of him. From now on, I don't want you to wandering around the village so late is that clear?"

Her tone scared me a little, "Y-Yes…..of course Lady Tsunade. What happens if I do end up finding him?"

She thought about it for a minute or so, "If you find him……..bring him to the ANBU black cop headquarters and he will face some pretty serious interrogations. You do realize that Madara could still be alive…….."

"W-What!? G-Granny y-you I thought you said he lived such a long time ago!"

"Yes Naruto, he _did _live a long time ago but when supposedly the first Hokage defeated him, there were absolutely no signs or evidence that he was dead. Archeologists have set out to find his bones, but there has been no such luck".

Suddenly, I cringed in fear as this thought popped into my mind, "T-Tsunade-san……..that guy the other night………what if that was M-Madara? I mean you said that there were no other surviving Uchiha left and this guy clearly had the Sharingan meaning that he was most definitely affiliated with this clan, so this must mean that it was him".

For the first time, as long as I've known her, she was unsure of herself.

"I'm not sure Sakura…….but this is something which needs to be looked into. Anyway why you all go on ahead for your mission?"

The three of us started walking out of the room until Tsunade spoke up again, "Actually………Naruto, Sakura, can you two stay in here for a couple minutes please? Ryo you may go on ahead to the gates".

Ryo just shrugged and left the room.

"What was that about Granny?"

She gritted her teeth signaling that she was sick of Naruto's name calling, "Well……..since I trust you two the most out of everyone else. This is kind of another assignment I'm giving you. I want the two of you to test Ryo. See if he's good enough to become a part of the ANBU squad".

And with that statement Naruto's jaw dropped open, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Why does _he _get a chance to be tested to become part of the ANBU squad! I'm probably stronger than him!"

She sighed probably thinking she knew he was going to go ballistic as soon as she told him, "Listen Naruto……..do not underestimate Ryo. I've actually tested his strength amongst the other jonin in this village. He's even surpassed Kakashi, Ryo could do very well on the ANBU team. Now I'm not saying that you're not strong enough. I've watched you grow these past several years. I'm holding a special place for you. As an ANBU you can't get promoted to a higher rank, so please take this into consideration about what I have told you".

It seems like that was too much information for Naruto to take in, so he just scratched his head and came up with a simple answer, "Ok…….."

Not caring if she understood or not, Tsunade continued speaking, "So please. By the end of this mission, give me your best judgement".

"We will" I assured her.

And with that, Naruto and I left for the gates.

**Author's Note: **and I am going to end here. How did you like this one? Review please!!!!!

Thanks a whole lot and chapter 36 will be here soon!

Sweetness.


	36. Ayumu the priest and the soothsayer?

**Author's Note: **hey readers! So yes, the past reviews I've gotten were all saying that you guys were confused with some stuff. Everything will be cleared up for you if you keep on reading! Get ready for this next one!

**Chapter 36: Ayumu the priest and….. the soothsayer?**

Our walk to the gates was eerily quiet. I've become a bit paranoid wandering around by myself; it's good that Naruto is with me.

"Say……Naruto…….."

He turned and faced me, "Yeah Sakura-chan?"

"That guy………why doesn't he talk to anyone?"

He shrugged, "I have no idea…….he didn't even respond to me when I said hi. He can act like such a……..teme…….that was the first impression I got from him".

"Well he does seem like one…….I can't stand him already…….."

Before we knew it, the gates were right in front of us while Ryo just stood there not caring if we were right in front of him.

Someone knocked from the other side of the gates. I opened them and a man peeked his head inside.

"E-Excuse me……are you the ninja who will be escorting me?"

"Yeah we are! You better not have a problem with that grandpa!"

I nudged Naruto pretty hard to silently tell him that he needs to have more manners when dealing with the clients.

"Yes, you must be Ayumu right?" I presumed.

"I am" he stated.

We both shook hands and got a better look at studying his features.

This man was short, I mean up to my shoulders short. He was bald but did have all of his teeth. He wore a red robe with a white color cloak on top. His footwear was fairly simple, black-strapped sandals like mine. What really caught my eye was a large, golden medallion which he wore around his neck with a lightning symbol imprinted in the middle.

"Ummm….Ayumu-san, exactly what is that you're wearing around your neck?"

He looked to where I was pointing, "Oh this? This is the lightning country's most valuable and sacred medallion. I wear it to keep in contact with the Gods in the shrine. This antique has been passed down for many generations in my family, so now it is my duty to protect it even if it costs me my life. Just like the jewel of the heavens which many have been dying to get their hands on".

Naruto interrupted, "Well now that you have us here to protect you, you don't even have to worry about a _thing _old man! Right Ryo?"

The three of us looked at the said man and he ignored Naruto until he said, "I really don't care…..you're wasting my time, let's just go".

"_UGHHH!!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS HIS PROBLEM!!!!?!?!?!??! TSUNADE THIS IS YOUR FAULT THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A COMPLETE JERK LIKE HIM!!!!!!"_

After inwardly fuming, I calmed myself down and followed the others outside of the village.

We were walking for about ten minutes until someone's stomach growled, "_That can't be me! I already had breakfast….."_

I turned my attention to Naruto who was rubbing his belly, "Is everything alright Naruto?"

"Ehhh……Sakura-chan, do you have any food on you?"

I started searching through my bag and found a container filled with ramen, "I find some ramen".

"Oh that's perfect! I'll take some please!"

I threw it over to him and he started attacking the bowl like some wild animal.

"Miss, I didn't exactly catch all of your names. Could you please enlighten me?" Ayumu asked politely.

"_He's such a gentleman"._

"My name is Haruno Sakura. The guy eating ramen is Uzumaki Naruto, and the jerk who never bothers to answer anyone is Hayashi Ryo".

"I see……..Sakura, may I see your hands?"

I gave him a questioning look when he decided to answer me, "Oh well….not only am I a priest, but I also am a palm reader. I would like to see what your palm lines are telling you".

"_Oh!!!! A palm reader! That's so cool!"_

"Sure you can" I said while raising my hands facing them with the palm up.

He put them close together and determined everything.

"Let's see……….well there are three particular lines which palmists look at when reading. There are the: life, head, and heart lines"

I nodded as he continued, "The life line I'm sure you know represents your vitality and the length of your life. By looking at your hand, you will be living life as an active individual. The head line deals with your beliefs, philosophy, and how you approach life. Well that's interesting both your head and life lines are connecting at the beginning".

"What does that mean?" I asked eagerly wanting to know.

He continued studying my hand, "It means that your strong sense of mind rules over your body. You also look at childhood with a cautious and fearful outlook. How about looking at your heart line?"

I smiled signaling for him to continue.

"Hmmmm…….interesting……..your heart line extends boldly across your palm".

"What does this line tell you Ayumu-san?"

"The heart line deals with all the emotions and events that are centered around love, whether it is your ability to love, or to be loved".

Suddenly this caught my attention.

"You have great control of your emotions Sakura. It says that you also have a pleasant and romantic nature with great warmth in your actions. You may tend to give yourself to love no matter what the cost. As I put your two hands together, your heart lines from both hands form a beautiful strong crescent shape. This means that you will have a very handsome husband".

I blushed at his comment, "O-Oh……"

He chuckled at my childish behavior, "You've been thinking about this haven't you Sakura?"

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean that you've been pondering majority of your life thinking about these kinds of things. Trust me he's just around the corner".

I didn't even understand what he was saying. It was too early in the morning to be thinking too hard.

Naruto finished his ramen and we continued on our journey.

The weather was warm with a nice breeze to go along with it.

As we walked, I noticed Ryo walked in the very front by himself. I started feeling a little guilty inwardly cursing him.

"_Maybe I should try having a conversation with him again…….."_

I sped up my pace and left Naruto with Ayumu while they had a conversation about what ramen can do to the human body if you eat to much of it.

"Hey Ryo" I said trying to be friendly.

He didn't even look at me and kept facing forward, "What do you want……."

I took a deep breath trying not to get agitated with his behavior, "Look……….I know we didn't exactly get on the right foot earlier this morning so let's start over. Hi I'm Haruno Sakura, and you are?"

Again there was still no answer and my insides were bubbling full of anger, "_Ok calm yourself Sakura……….just count up to ten and keep taking deep breaths……"_

After counting for ten seconds, I started talking to him again, "So……I've never seen you around Konoha before. Not to sound rude or anything……but……how come you're here?"

That seemed to trigger something in him when he actually looked at me. Well not really look it was more like a glare.

"It's none of your concern. Stop asking me such pointless questions".

He decided to speed up his pace and ignore me, "_Oh my god! What is his problem!? I try to be more than nice to him and he just blows me off! You know what? I don't feel bad anymore! He can go sulk in a corner for all I care! I've dealt with jerks like him plenty of times in my life and I don't need to deal with another"._

I walked back to Naruto and Ayumu to see what they were up to, "Hello!"

"Hey Sakura-chan! What were you doing talking to Ryo? I thought you couldn't stand him?"

My fists clenched at the thought of that jerk, "I was feeling bad for him and I know we didn't really get off on the right foot so I decided to give him another chance. When I tried talking to him, he just blows me off and glares saying stuff like, it's none of your concern or stop asking pointless questions. I got pretty annoyed with his constant PMSing and just left him alone. I wish he didn't have to be placed on our team!"

I punched a tree to let out all of my anger, and pretty much scared the crap out of the two of them.

"Sakura…..I sense some distress in Ryo's life. As soon as I greeted the three of you, I saw Ryo's eyes. They may look uncaring and indifferent to you but behind that dull exterior lies something more than that. There was so much pain which he is bottling up inside. Maybe the more time you spend with him, he'll become more used to the both of you and slowly but surely, all three of you will develop an everlasting friendship".

I looked at Ryo walking a bit far ahead of us, "_I don't know what to believe. Is that possible? Well…….since we'll be on the same team for a long time, then let's just give him another chance and hopefully overtime he'll come around……"_

"Sakura-chan, watch out!"

"_What's Naruto talking about?"_

I slowly turned my face to see an enemy ninja attempting to attack me from behind, but I was too late……

"_Why do I always have to tune out!? Now because of my stupid mistake, I'm done for………"_

**Author's Note: **Did you like chapter 36? I've got three big words for you:

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!

Oh also, if you want to know what the name Ayumu means, here it is:

**Ayumu-**_歩__(ayu)_ "walk" and _夢__(mu)_ "dream, vision".

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	37. Realization

**Author's Note: **Well I am already up to about 80 reviews. That's pretty good! So let me thank the following:

**Ariis101**

**NickytheHyuugaChick**

**crushinsammygirl**

**KageSakura1982**

**StarS 009**

**Shizuka Taiyou**

**GeeGee-Chan**

Although……I do wish some more people could review!!! Anyway, enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 37: Hardships**

"_Oh no! I'm done for!" _ I inwardly panicked.

There was no way for me to strike back. The enemy was practically right in front of me, he certainly had the advantage.

Naruto kept screaming and telling me to leave that spot, "_I can't do anything you idiot!" _

I closed my eyes preparing for the worst. Suddenly I heard a loud thump not too far away from me. The enemy dropped his weapon and was knocked unconscious.

My eyes immediately opened and found the elite ninja wounded just lying there on the ground.

"_How in the world…….who did this?"_

I looked around and found Ryo hovering over the enemy and walking back to us.

Well not really us, it was more like me.

"_Oh crap, what does he want!?"_

He stood in my personal bubble, "You realize you're lucky. He was so close to cutting your throat. If I hadn't saved you, you would have been a goner".

"_Stop trying to rub it in!"_

He gave me a cocky smirked and walked away until he turned back around and said, "By the way if I were still PMSing, I wouldn't have helped you".

My eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped,"_H-He must have heard what I was saying!!!"_

As if reading my mind he said, "You are loud and annoying. Anyone can hear you from a mile way".

"Sakura-chan!" yelled Naruto while running towards me with Ayumu not too far behind him.

"Naruto?" I asked him.

He panted from running too much, "Are you ok!? You could have been killed!"

I sighed, "Yes I know…….."

Ayumu spoke up, "At least Ryo-san saved you. You should give him your gratitude".

"_Gratitude shmatitude, like I'm going to thank him for saving me. The reason why he saved me was to look good in front of everyone!"_

"Ayumu-san, how exactly did Ryo save me?"

"I have no idea Sakura. His movements were much too quick even for the naked eye to see. Come to think of it, Ryo-san didn't throw a single weapon or use any form of physical contact on this jonin".

"_How is that possible!?"_

Naruto decided to cut in, "Yeah Sakura-chan! This guy shouldn't really be messed with".

We continued walking to the lightning country. I was actually excited about going, I've never traveled there.

"So tell me Ayumu-san, what is it like in the lightning country?"

He smiled at the thought of his home, "Ahhhh…..the lightning country is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, maybe I'm just being biased".

I smiled as he continued, "It is actually highly elevated and there is so much to see. You'll find out what I mean when we get there. The village hidden in the clouds was the first village built. It was used to connect to the gods in the olden days. There are many shrines and religious figurines placed everywhere. We are very devout people".

"That's great Ayumu-san. It's really not like that Konoha".

He nodded, "Oh I know that. Konoha was created in an entirely different era of feuding clans and political reforms. There was no time for devotion to the divine beings".

"_He sure knows a lot of history"._

The clouds suddenly blocked the sunlight and rain began to pour.

"Ughh!!! It's soaking wet!"

"Yes we know that Naruto" I told him sarcastically.

Ayumu reached his hand up to touch the rain drops, "This is a sign that we are getting closer to the lightening country!"

I put my hands over my head to cover it from the rain, "I understand that we're almost there, but why don't we find some shelter?"

"That's a good idea Sakura-san, Naruto why don't you set up a camp in that cave over there?" Ayumu directed pointing in the one direction.

Naruto started to pick up the bags, "You could at least help me old man!"

"Naruto!" I reprimanded him.

He looked at me and shrugged, "What? Just because he's the client it doesn't mean that he should be making us do any of the dirty work".

"Sakura-san, where did Ryo-san run off to? I don't see him" Ayumu-san stated ignoring Naruto's comment.

I looked around the area, "_Where could he be? He was right in front of us not to long ago……"_

"Ayumu-san let's set up camp first and then I'll look for him".

He nodded and we got to work. Naruto set up the fire in the cave, but he was having some trouble.

"OW! DAMNIT!"

"Does he always do this to himself Sakura-san?"

I sighed and became frustrated with Naruto's behavior, "Sadly……yes……"

Ayumu-san taught Naruto the correct way by rubbing two sticks of wood together.

"THAT is the correct way Naruto-san"

"_Naruto-SAN! Who would give respect to someone who can't do anything right!?"_

Naruto scratched the back of his blonde head, "and all this time I thought I would have to walk outside waiting for lightning to strike……"

Ayumu-san just looked at him wide-eyed probably thinking how someone like Naruto could get this far.

We set up out sleeping bags and supplies in the corner of the cave.

I finished with my unpacking, "Naruto, do you want to go look for Ryo?"

He looked at me like I was nuts, "Look for that jerk? Why would you think about something like that? You're right, he's probably PMSing alone in the woods. Anyway, I'm going to hit the hay. Night Sakura-chan! Night old man!"

It just amazed me how he immediately began snoring. Naruto is one of those people that still remain a bit of an enigma to me.

"Ayumu-san, would you like to look for Ryo?"

Ayumu-san sat down cross-legged, "Sakura-san this trip has put a lot of stress on my weary old body. I am in no condition to be overworking myself. This seems like a nice time to do some meditation, it always eases my mind. I think it's best if you face Ryo alone, maybe something good will come out of it".

"But-"

His eyes closed shut and Ayumu-san began his meditation, "_I guess I shouldn't bother him now….that was pretty stupid of me to ask someone like him to go with me. He's old and in no physical condition"._

I went through my bag looking for an overcoat, but to my dismay, there was nothing that would help me deal with this nasty weather.

I quietly walked out hoping not to disturb the others and looked outside. It was so dark and gloomy, depressing almost. The bark of the trees looked black and haunting, I was starting to get a little creeped out.

"_Be brave Sakura, you're a ninja remember?"_

That's right I am a konoha ninja after all. What's so frightening about being by myself on a gloomy day in the woods in the middle of nowhere?

Absolutely nothing.

I walked down the muddy pathways pushing the tree branches out of my way. There were no birds or any other animals for that matter, around.

"_How long have I been searching for this guy?" _

Two hours does pass by quickly, nightfall was approaching.

The rainfall became much worse and fell harder. Being the clumsy person I was, a tree root embedded in the flowing mud made me slip and fall.

I looked like a mess, "_Ughhh……can this get any worse!?"_

Luck just wasn't on my side today as a flash of lightening streaked the dark skies.

"_Oh no……maybe I should head back"._

Thunder interrupted my thoughts and startled me.

"_It's just thunder, calm down"._

I became a little paranoid and decided to head back. The problem? The path was too confusing and there was no way I could see a thing in this weather.

"HELLO!? IS ANYONE THERE!?"

There was no answer, looks like I had to face this dilemma by myself. I was starting to panic, and just couldn't keep my cool in this situation.

Things started to turn up when the storm stopped, but it was still raining.

While walking further, there were a bunch of vines dangling from a tree branch. I pushed them away and found a small meadow.

Although it was raining, the meadow still looked like someone's dream get away spot.

The entire area was encircled with vines dangling from the branches of trees. Multi-colored wildflowers brightened up the whole area. There were four large boulders formed into a spherical shape, my amazement ended when I spotted someone sitting by themselves on one of those rocks.

"_Ryo….."_

After slowly approaching my now found teammate, I noticed that he sat with his head looking down at the ground muttering a few words which were barely inaudible.

They sounded like, "mother…….father…………why?"

"_Should I interrupt him?"_

I took a good luck at Ryo again, "_No……I can't bear to see him like this….he looks so miserable….."_

"Ryo?"

His face sharply turned and he glared at me, "What do you want?"

The glare he gave me was a bit intimidating, "U-Ummmm…..w-well…..the others and I noticed that you were missing so I came looking for you…."

"Well here I am" he obviously stated.

There was a long pause and I was inwardly trying to gather my thoughts together trying to find something to say, "W-Well…..do you want to get back? We set up camp".

He gave me a suspicious look, "Why are you even asking me? I heard those things you said. I'm perfectly happy without you".

That hit a nerve.

"Do you know why I say those things about you? It's because all of those things are true! When I met you earlier on today, I was being nothing but nice to you but of course you just wanted to ignore me. You know what? I chose to come here in this horrible weather tripping over things and getting lost just to find some arrogant jackass who doesn't give a crap about anyone else but himself and wants to nothing but stay miserable! I don't care anymore, I was feeling sorry for you but you are not worth the trouble. You can just sit here and sulk for all I care!"

He sat up and approached me, "You don't know anything about me andwhat the hell I've been through all these years. You're just some PMSing sheltered premodonna living in her own little world that's just too ignorant to face reality! So don't go telling me that I'm some miserable jackass because you don't know a _thing _about me".

I stared at him wide-eyed, "_N-No! T-That's not true!"_

My eyes were watering and no words were able to come out of my mouth.

We both stood there planted on our spots for a while with no sound but the pouring of the rain.

"_What could Ryo have possibly been through that's made him like this?"_

I was able to speak again, "W-What……..w-what h-have you been through?"

He wasn't able to look at me directly in the eye, "A lot…….my parents were found killed when I was only eight years old……"

"I-I'm sorry……."

He gave me a somber look, "I don't need your pity……"

Ryo started to walk away somewhere I didn't even know, "_I'll just leave him alone, he needs his space…."_

I headed back to camp and found Naruto still sleeping and Ayumu still meditating.

It was late and I fell asleep with today's big scene replaying in my mind.

"_Maybe……I shouldn't have been too quick to judge Ryo….when his parents were killed must have been a life-altering experience for him, no wonder he's become this way."_

Then I remembered Ayumu's words from earlier today.

"_Maybe……slowly but surely……he'll open up to me……."_

**Author's Note: **Tell me what you thought of it! REVIEW PLEASE! Also sorry for not updating in a while, I was trying to take a break from the computer since it's been taking over life pretty much. Here I am back on track and read to post chapter 38, it's coming up soon!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	38. Attempted Theft?

**Author's Note: **hey!!!!! What's going on everyone? Well I am going to stop talking and let you read this next one, enjoy!

**Chapter 38: Attempted Theft?**

"Sakura-chan……..Sakura-chan…….."

My eyes slightly opened. The light was much too bright. I could hear someone calling me, but I just ignored it and fell back asleep.

"Sakura-chan……..Sakura-chan………..SAKURA-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Oh I heard the voice very well and Naruto was shaking me and I was getting pissed.

He wouldn't stop so I immediately removed my covers and hit him as hard as I possible could.

"WHAT THE HELL NARUTO!?"

My strength caused him to crash into the other side of the cave wall. The cracks I must say were pretty deep.

"What do you mean what the hell? I was trying to wake you up!"

I checked my watch and glared at him, "Its 7:30 in the morning baka!"

Ayumu-san came in, "7:30 meaning we need to get going Sakura-san. I went into the woods after my early morning meditation and retrieved wild fruit. It's not poisonous at all, humans may eat these".

Naruto immediately dug into the basket of fruit, "Ahhh!!! Thanks a ton old man!"

We all helped ourselves when I turned to Ayumu-san, "Where is Ryo?"

He took a bite of his berry, "Oh I found Ryo-san training a little bit earlier today, I think he may be waiting outside for us".

"Sakura-chan, did you find him yesterday?"

I finished eating and responded, "Yeah I did……..but as usual, Ryo was acting like a jerk. He called me a premodonna living in my own fantasy world that is too ignorant to understand what so many people have gone through. I am not that kind of person!"

Ayumu-san put a hand on my shoulder to calm me down, "Did anything good come out of this situation?"

Naruto just stared at him, "What's wrong with you old man! How could anything good come out of this whole thing if Ryo was being a-"

I cut him off and answered Ayumu-san's question, "Yes……something did…..I found out a little bit about his past. His parents were murdered………"

Everyone stayed quiet for a while until Naruto checked the time, "We better get going".

We packed our things and headed out for the day. Ryo sat outside on a log being pensive as usual.

Ayumu-san could say that I didn't want to talk to Ryo at the moment, "Ryo-san, it's time for us to leave".

Ryo didn't say anything. He got up and walked ahead of us to the lightening country.

This trip was quiet, and the events from last night failed to leave my mind.

"_Why do I keep thinking about what he said to me? He's an ass he doesn't know that he's talking about……I can't believe I let him walk all over me like that……."_

I decided to forget about everything that happened the day before, "Ayumu-san how long will it take us to get to the lightening country?"

"Let me think…….to the lightening country we have 15 minutes left. To get to the village hidden in the clouds, it will take about30-35 minutes".

I smiled, "Thank you".

He nodded.

15 minutes passed by quickly and we entered the lightening country. We climbed up the mountain to get to the village hidden up in the clouds.

"Thank you for bringing me back home you three. Overall it was a safe journey, and I am thankful to have ninja like you who you risk your lives for someone like me".

"We were glad to escort you Ayumu-san" I said to him.

We still had a week left until the meeting between the kages and feudal lords, "Naruto what do you want to do since we have to stay here for a week?"

"Is there a ramen stand anywhere here?"

"I have no idea".

We ended up staying at an inn in the village. It gave you that home-comfort feeling. I went by myself into the town square and got some lunch, it turns out they did have ramen.

I ate by myself observing everyone walking around and going about their day. The buildings were designed into a Tudor-style. They were white with brown roofs and carvings, which I really liked. It almost gave me a medieval feel to it. Well Ayumu-san did say that this town hadn't changed a bit from a hundred years ago.

I finished, paid the bill, and decided to look for Ayumu.

Although the village was high up in the mountains, it was still very warm. I smiled and greeted everyone that walked my way.

"_These people are so friendly it wouldn't be so bad to live here"._

I looked in the different shops and asked around in the markets, but I didn't see him.

"_Where could he have gone to?"_

Then I thought if he's a priest he must be at………..

"_The Shrine!"_

The only problem was, I had no idea where it's located. There was a tour guide taking a group of tourists around. I walked over and asked him.

"Excuse me sir I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you know possible where the lightening shrine may be?"

He wasn't bothered at all by my interruption, "Well young lady you came to the right guy! The shrine is all the way up that hill. It's heavily guarded so I hope you have an actual purpose being there. No one is really allowed in".

"Thank you so much!"

I made my way up the hill and found a whole bunch of guards in front of the door. One of them must have seen me when he turned his head and asked, "State your purpose young lady".

"_Of course he noticed me, I have pink hair!"_

I proceeded to answer his question, "Oh…well…I am here to see a friend of mine, Ayumu-san the priest of this shrine".

He gave me a suspicious look, "Let me check with Ayumu-san".

I nodded as he slightly opened the door and called for the said man, "Ayumu-san! A friend of yours is here to see you".

"A friend?" I heard him ask from inside.

The guard nodded, "Yes a friend. You may come out and see for yourself".

The door fully opened revealing the same old man wearing a white robe with his golden, lightening-imprinted medallion.

"Ahhh….Sakura-san please come in! Guards there is nothing to worry about. I assure you Sakura-san has no wrong intentions, please let her through".

"As you wish" the guard said while taking a step aside to let me through.

"Thank you sir" I said while walking in the room.

It was nothing like I expected it to be. This shrine was huge! The walls and the marble floor were a beautiful ivory color with golden designs and carvings upon the darker red pillars. It looked very comfy with the matching red and gold sofas and meditation rugs. In the very center of the room was a brown table with a rectangular glass container on top encasing something inside.

I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of the object, "Ayumu-san…..exactly what is inside the glass case?"

He looked to where I was looking, "Oh my dear that is the sacred jewel of the heavens".

"Not to sound rude or anything Ayumu-san, but, what exactly is so…..sacred about that jewel?"

The two of us walked over to the said object and observed it, "The Gods were said to have created this stone. It has no power by it self, but when collected with the other jewels from the other villages they are said to have unstoppable power".

I was still mesmerized by the jewel, "What kind of power?"

"Well…..no one I know has ever witnessed something like this before. Legend says that when all pieces are together they summon each of the guardian foxes".

I turned to face him, "Guardian foxes?"

He nodded, "Yes, the guardian foxes. Did you not hear about the nine-tailed fox attacking Konoha 21 years ago?"

"No…..I didn't…….where do those foxes come from?"

He continued to answer my questions, "About 1,000 years ago. The spirits of the nine foxes were mysteriously placed inside nine different bodies. After its human container dies, the spirits are transferred into someone new. Those creatures give their holders infinite power. There have been times when the host was not able to control the power of the fox, causing destruction and killing so many innocent people. The human is nothing without their fox spirit, they will die once the spirit leaves the body if the human is still alive".

I stared at him wide-eyed listening to this legend, "Ayumu-san…….exactly what happened……..21 years ago to my village?"

We both sat down on one of the sofas, "Well……somehow when the nine-tailed fox's previous host died, it was not transferred to someone else but brought back to it's original form. It was a giant….capable of bringing forth terror and disastrous outcomes, and it did just that. This was the period of time when Konoha had the most casualties throughout it's entire history. The fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze was able to seal the Kyuubi away inside a baby boy".

I was completely awe-struck, "Who was that boy? Where is he now?"

"No one knows his identity. The boy was immediately taken out of the village by his assigned caretaker afraid that the boy would be shunned in this society. He was never seen since….."

"_Oh my………."_

I was completely speechless after hearing this entire story until Ayumu-san decided to change the subject.

"Sakura-san, why don't we take a walk outside in the village?"

"Of course" I agreed with him.

We left the shrine and walked down to the village.

"Ayumu-san, are there any jewelry shops anywhere? My mother needed some more pieces".

He smiled, "Ahh yes….the lightening country is world renown for its precious jewels, please follow me".

We walked to the end of the village and went inside. It was a small-quaint looking shop. I was immediately greeted by the shopkeeper.

"Hello there! Welcome to cloud jewelers, how may I help you today?"

I smiled, "Hello! I am actually looking for some nice pieces for my mother who lives back home in Konoha, and I'm just here temporarily so I decided to take a look in here".

She grinned, "Well you have come to the right place! We have jewels of all kinds. Ask for anything and you will for sure find it".

I looked down at the jewels inside the glass cases, "Hmmm……she really wanted some type of amber….."

"Oh, amber is one of the lightening country's specialties. Let me get all of the pieces we have. Meanwhile, just keep looking around".

"Ok" I said to her as she went into the back room.

I turned to Ayumu, "Ayumu-san, you don't have to stick around with me. Looking at jewelry must be boring you……"

He smiled, "Nonsense Sakura-san! I am always happy to accompany you. I will even help choose a piece for your mother, if that's ok with you?"

"Of course you can. Come, help me look".

He approached me and started gazing at all of the eye-catching jewelry.

The shopkeeper came back, "Ok Miss! Here are all of the amber pieces we've got. Please take a look".

I wasn't really interested in the pieces she got from the back, I wanted something unique to give to mother.

I was a bit afraid to tell her what I thought of them, "ummm….I'm sorry but these jewels look like something you could find anywhere. I really want something unique……something you can't find anywhere else".

She brushed it off like it was nothing, "No it's fine! You're the customer so I expect you to say something like that. You haven't looked at everything in this shop, so just keep on looking at tell me what you think".

"Sure" I said as I looked around.

They were all nice but there was nothing that I'm sure mother would like. She is very picky when it comes to jewelry.

"Sakura-san, how about this".

I walked over to Ayumu-san and my eyes stayed glued to the beautiful piece, "Ayumu-san, its perfect!"

"I thought so" he said as he gave it to the shopkeeper.

"Oh wow…..yes this is actually the newest piece we have. It was delivered to us pretty recently. Would you like to buy it miss?"

I nodded, "Yes please".

"Okie doke!" She said while working with the cash register. It was actually good price too.

"_Today must be my lucky day"._

I paid the shopkeeper and Ayumu-san and I walked outside. I took the amber jewel out and admired it.

There was a pair of earrings with a matching necklace. The color was so vibrant and the shine was radiating off of the jewel. It was in the shape of a rain drop with a silver lining bordering the edge of the jewelry. In the very middle, a small silver lightening bolt was imprinted.

"You love it don't you?"

I put the jewelry back in my bag, "Yes Ayumu-san, thank you so much for picking it out. I think she will love it".

"Happy to hear it".

Things weren't so happy once we heard loud explosives and people screaming and running all over town.

"What's going on!?"

I looked up and found a couple of rice country ninja invading the cloud village.

"Where is the jewel of heavens!? Give it to me!" demanded one of the ninja.

Ayumu-san ran over and stood up to him.

"_Is that old man crazy!? He's going to get himself killed!"_

"No….you will not lay your filthy hands on the jewel of the heavens. It belongs to my village, and you will stay away from here!"

The enemy smirked, "Oh….and what will you do if I don't stay away old man?"

He grabbed the hood of the cloak and put a kunai to Ayumu-san's neck, "Who are you to tell _me _huh? What are you some priest? You are a weakling!"

I couldn't bear to watch this seen any longer. I ran and prepared to give him a blow.

He seemed to notice I was there, "Watch it princess…..any step closer and this guy will pay for it….."

"Sakura-san, please just do it……"

"No Ayumu-san…..I don't want you to loose you life….."

I had to think of something fast before something worse happens, "_Where is Naruto!?"_

It's like he heard my mental plea.

No one was able to detect his shadow clones.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" He yelled as he took hold of the enemy ninja's neck. Then another Naruto appeared and slickly pushed Ayumu-san away from the scene.

He was hurt, the kunai pierced into the side of his neck.

"Ayumu-san! Let me heal you".

I laid him down on the ground and began the healing process. I focused my chakra to repair the damage to a couple of his nerves in that part of his neck.

A couple of paramedics appeared at the scene and took Ayumu-san to the hospital.

I turned back to help Naruto.

This guy was elitley trained and too quick for my monstrous punches.

"_What the hell!?"_

"Where's that damn jewel!?"

I saw a couple of guards running towards our direction.

"STOP! STOP ATTACKING OUR VILLAGE! THERE IS NO JEWEL!"

The ninja stopped attacking and looked at him, "What do you mean there's no jewel? This village holds it".

He was panting, "I know…..I am one of the guards to the shrine. I checked to make sure it was still there…..but the stone was missing".

Gasps and murmurs were heard amongst the townsfolk.

The raikage stepped in, "That is impossible. The shrine is heavily guarded. Who could have gotten through?"

The rice country ninja spoke up again, "Well……I was in the mood for taking a life anyway. Why don't you be the first raikage-sama!?"

He charged at the raikage, able to make it past the guards who were in front.

Suddenly blue lightening was seen in the sky. It grew larger and more powerful and struck him.

"Stay the hell away from the jewel………" The person seethed.

I saw Ryo approaching the man and stepping on him crushing his bones.

"P-Please…..s-stop……." The ninja pleaded.

Ryo's eyes were bloodthirsty and power hungry. I've never seen him like this, Naruto and I were in complete shock.

I couldn't let Ryo kill this man.

"Ryo stop!"

He didn't even notice that I was there. I did the unthinkable………

I slapped his face.

"S-Sakura-chan?" I heard Naruto question from within the crowd.

Ryo turned to me and glared, "What the hell Sakura!? Why didn't you-"

I cut him off, "You are a blood thirsty fiend Hayashi Ryo! I don't know or care where you came from, but Konoha ninja don't do things like this. These kinds of actions are looked down upon in our village, in any village for that matter".

He was really pissed off at me, but I didn't care.

He deserved it.

I left everyone and went to check up on Ayumu-san.

I entered his room and found the poor man lying on a white bed wearing the hospital robe.

"S-Sakura-s-san……"

I immediately rushed to his side, "Ayumu-san! You'll be fine!"

He smiled at me, "Thank you for saving me. If you didn't…….I wouldn't be here. I owe you my life……."

I nodded, "All that matters to me is that you're ok. Did you hear about the jewel? It was stolen".

His smile faded, "I know….."

I continued, "I have a question……..is there such a thing as blue lightening?"

"That is only if you posses the stone of the heavens. I am the only one who knows what kind of power it holds, it is a secret which I entrust you with".

I lost everything after he said that is the power of the stone of heavens.

"_C-Could Ryo have stolen the stone?"_

**Author's Note: **Tell me the truth, how did you like it? I'll update soon!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	39. Confrontation

**Author's Note: **Hello!!!!! I've got nothing to say so here is the next chapter!

**Chapter 39: Confrontation**

I left Ayumu-san to rest and walked back outside. The crowd dispersed and Naruto dragged Ryo to eat ramen with him.

"Ryo you have to try this!" Naruto recommended putting a spoonful in front of Ryo's face".

He knocked the spoon out of Naruto's hands, "Get that garbage away from me!"

"What the hell! What was that for bastard!?"

Ryo glared at him, "You're annoying…….and ramen is disgusting……."

Naruto just stared at him wide eyed, "Oh my………"

He was left speechless until I tapped his shoulder and he reverted back to his normal self.

"Sakura-chan!"

I smiled, "Hey Naruto".

"Want some ramen? I'll treat you today!" he offered.

I politely declined, "No thanks".

He gave me his usual puppy pout, which I have learned to resist.

"Naruto I am not hungry. Leave me along before something bad happens".

That seemed to shut him up.

Ryo got up and left the ramen shop.

"Eh? Where is he going Sakura-chan?"

"I have no idea. Naruto did you notice anything about Ryo's attack on that guy earlier today?"

He temporarily stopped eating and looked at me, "Now that you mention it……I've never seen him use that kind of a technique. Then again, we don't know him that well".

"But Naruto, I spoke to Ayumu-san while he was healing up in the hospital. He described the power of the jewel of heavens just like Ryo's attack, a powerful blue lightening bolt".

Naruto spit out his water, "What!? You don't think Ryo was the one-"

I nodded, "I seriously don't know, but I am going right now to find out. Naruto, you keep eating I will be right back".

"Ummm….ok…." he said while immediately digging into his ramen.

I walked out of the shop and continued on my search for Ryo.

"_Where could that jerk be?"_

Finding a guy with a pissed off expression can be difficult. The Raikage appeared to be discussing something with a couple of guards.

I didn't want to bother him, but decided against it and approached the small group.

"Hello there Sakura".

I bowed showing my respect, "Hello Raikage-sama. I'm sorry to interrupt".

He nodded, "Nonsense! You saved Ayumu-san's life, the guards and I are discussing the matter of the stolen jewel. Whoever has taken it must possess great stealth. This village needs more heavily guarded borders to make sure no soul can sneak in. Whoever has taken the stone has evil intentions and we need to find this person".

"Yes….we do. That is something which you should bring up at the Kage meeting in a couple of days. I just have one question, do you know where Hayashi Ryo might be?"

"Hayashi Ryo…….oh the young man who saved my life! I think I saw him heading towards the training grounds. Go all the way towards the end of the village and start heading up towards to the hill of heavens where the shrine is located. Turn left and you will find a private area labeled "Cloud Village Training Grounds".

"Thank you Raikage-sama".

I ran off in search for him. I did as the Raikage said and turned left towards the training grounds.

It was gated, so I opened it and entered.

It was eerily quiet. Then again, the lightening country is very pious and peaceful. I didn't even see any ninja besides the three of us.

I snapped back to reality when I heard a loud explosion all the way across the other side of the training grounds. On the way, I had to dodge the falling trees from landing on me.

I made it safely and found Ryo trying out his new technique. After waiting for about a couple minutes observing, I made my way over to him.

"Ryo, I need to speak with you for a moment".

He ceased his training momentarily and turned greeting me with his usual harsh gaze, "What is it?"

"That technique you used……….have you always had it?"

He raised a brow, "Yes and if you are going to continue to ask such pointless questions, then leave".

It's been only five minutes and I am already pissed.

"Ryo, I'll have you know I talked to Ayumu-san while he was in the hospital. He is the only one in this village who knows what kind of power that stone possesses. Whoever uses it is able to release a powerful surge of blue-colored lightening bolts. Now I came here to ask, were you the one who stole the jewel of heavens?"

For some reason, he wouldn't look at me, "Why would I take some worthless jewel from a village that claims it came from the heavens. I'm powerful enough as it is".

I took a step closer, "I saw what you did to that ninja from the rice country. It's like something was consuming you…….you wanted power. Where is it?"

"Sakura-san!"

"_Ughhh…..what now!?"_

Ryo and I turned around and found one of the Raikage's advisors, "Sakura-san the Raikage is in need of your presence".

"Right now?" I complained.

He nodded, "Hai…..Raikage-sama wishes you to his office immediately. He wants to discuss you being a temporary medic, many of the cloud villagers have been injured from the attack today and the hospital staff is in need of your assistance".

"_Just when I was about to get that thief to admit he stole the jewel, I have to go and talk to the Raikage……..just great"._

As I walked back with the older man who was sent for me, my peripheral vision noticed Ryo smirking.

"_Jackass"_

We arrived at the Raikage's office and right then and there I wanted to tell him tha it was Ryo who took the jewel. That was a bad idea though. First of all, I didn't have any evidence that Ryo was the thief although I stand on my belief. Second, the raikage may misunderstand and end up thinking that Ryo's hostile attempt to steal the stone means war between the two countries.

"Hai Raikage-sama. You needed me?"

"Yes Sakura-san. I went through your records and you seem to be a very successful young medic. I want you to be on the staff temporarily".

"_Sweet!"_

"It would be an honor Raikage-sama".

He put a couple of his paperwork in one of his drawers, "Good, you are excused".

I left and headed towards the hospital spending the rest of the say treating patients.

It did take a lot of energy out of me. I decided to head back to the inn as soon as I finished.

While walking back I heard someone call me, "Sakura-san".

I was getting irritated, "_what NOW!?"_

The sight of the person relieved all of my stress, "Ayumu-san! You're better!"

"Yes, I am. I don't think I would have progressed this far if it weren't for you".

I blushed.

"T-Thank y-you……."

He smiled at my childish behavior, "Have you heard any recent news about the stolen jewel?"

I sighed, "Unfortunately no……….there wasn't any evidence left in the shrine. I'm sorry I know it was your duty to protect it".

"Do not be sorry Sakura-san, it wasn't your fault. Hopefully somehow, it will be found".

"Well……Ayumu-san I'm sorry but I must be going. I've had a long day".

He nodded, "Yes you have…..go and rest up".

I left and headed back to the inn.

"_I know for a fact Ryo stole the jewel of heavens, this guy can't be trusted"._

"Sakura-chan!" I heard Naruto yell banging on the other side of my door.

"Come in" I said.

The door opened revealing an eager Naruto asking me all sorts of questions.

"Sakura-chan, did you ask Ryo about the jewel?"

"Oh I sure did, but it had to be interrupted by one of the Raikage's advisors asking me to meet with him. Ryo got away with it this time……."

Naruto plopped on my bed, "You know I do believe you…….I don't trust Ryo either……he just gives off that aura telling me to kind of keep my distance".

I agreed, "Yeah I know. When we're done with this mission, let's ask Tsunade if we can switch Ryo with Sai".

Naruto's eyes started drooping slightly, "Yeah……..I think I'm going to hit the hay. See you tomorrow Sakura-chan".

"Bye Naruto".

As soon as he shut the door, I changed and climbed in bed.

"_Will Ryo continue to be like this? He will probably never give Naruto and I a chance. I don't care…..I've tried making the effort. Ayumu-san was wrong, we won't become friends. It doesn't matter…….as long as I have Naruto, I'll be fine. He's always been there for me"._

**Author's Note: **What did you think of this chappie!? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!

Thanks a ton,

Sweetness.


	40. Kage Meeting

**Author's Note: **hey everyone!!!!!! Here's the next one!

**Chapter 40: Kage Meeting**

Today is the Kage meeting.

I woke up, bathed, and headed out for the day wearing my usual quipao-style dress wearing black spandex leggings underneath.

Naruto and I planned to go out for breakfast today.

I took one last glance in the mirror and realized that something needed to be done about my hair.

"_Naruto can't see me like this!"_

I took a brush out of my bag and got rid of the tangles. My pastel pink hair was tied up into a long French braid, not to brag or anything but it looked really good.

"_I think Naruto for sure will like me like this"._

I left the inn and headed out to one of the cafés near by in the village.

The café came into view and I saw Naruto looking through his menu from the window, suddenly I became a little self-conscious.

"_Is my dress ok? Do my teeth look white enough? Is my hair frizzy!?"_

I assured myself that I looked perfectly fine and walked in.

Naruto looked up from his menu and waved to me and I couldn't help but blush. He really did clean himself up this morning didn't he?

He didn't even need to brush his hair; the messy surfer style sure looked great on him.

Then I studied his clothing.

Naruto stopped wearing just plain orange years ago and moved onto wearing a mix of orange and another color.

Today he wore his usual konoha headband on his forehead with an orange sleeveless shirt giving me a good look at his biceps along with a pair of black pants to go with it.

"_Naruto looks really good!!"_

His cerulean eyes glistened at the sight of me, "Hey Sakura-chan, you look great…….as usual……."

I was too busy staring to notice he said anything, "O-Oh……yeah y-you too".

We both looked through our menus and the waiter came and took our orders.

For some reason, the silence became thick and awkward between the two of us. This has never happened.

I couldn't help but admire his features.

"_Why am I thinking about him like this? Bad Sakura! You know Hinata has feelings for him. I can't do this to her. What kind of a friend would I be if she found out what I was doing?"_

I mentally slapped myself and focused on other things in the room. Like all of the other shops, this little café also had its charm which I liked.

"_Just ignore Naruto's presence. Damn it, why is this suddenly happening to me!?" _

I was getting hypnotized by those ocean-blue eyes of his, thankfully, the waiter appeared and gave us our orders.

Naruto had a bowl full of ramen with fresh sunny-side up eggs to go with it while I ordered some delicious French toast with fresh fruit and a glass of milk to go with it.

Breakfast was quiet and I couldn't help but think if Naruto was feeling the sudden awkwardness that I was feeling between the two of us.

"So……Sakura-chan………..is everything…….okay?"

I looked up at him after taking a bite of my delectable meal, "O-Oh….everything's just fine……."

The two of us continued to stare into each other's eyes.

"_Pull away, pull away!"_

I couldn't understand where this sudden feeling was coming from. Whatever it was, I had to stop it.

"So…..Naruto…….do you think I've gotten more………..womanly?"

"_What the hell am I doing!? That's not stopping it!"_

He stared at me for a while, "Yeah………you have……."

The both of us stayed rooted at our spots for a while until we heard the door open.

"What are you two doing?"

Embarrassed, both Naruto and I blushed.

"N-Nothing g-granny!" Naruto sheepishly grinned.

She gave us both a suspicious look and brushed it off, "Well now that Danzo and I have arrived, you know what to do".

Naruto and I both nodded, "Hai".

"Good. Where is Ryo?"

"Oh……that was my doing granny, I didn't invite Ryo to breakfast".

"Why not? He's your teammate".

Naruto cut in, "Granny, Ryo is nothing but a cold-hearted bastard who doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself!"

"Is that so?"

I decided to speak up this time, "Yes Tsunade-san, he is. I really think after this mission, you should remove Ryo from our team. Also, he is not capable of being a member of the ANBU black cop squad. Ryo does not have the cooperation skills and I believe he does have killing intentions".

That took a while for Tsunade to take it all in, "Hmmm…interesting…..let's talk about this once we get back to Konoha. The meeting will commence in a bit so I want the two of you to find Ryo and come to the Raikage building where the meeting will be held. Meanwhile you three need to search for those two scrolls. I heard that one of the advisors of the Raikage is not a native cloud villager. He wants to use those two scrolls for his own greedy purposes".

"Lady Tsunade, exactly what are those two scrolls used for?"

"Well……when all of the jewels from each shrine are collected you need the scrolls to prove that you are indeed the ultimate beholder of the stones, enabling the person to summon the fox spirits. Those scrolls contain some chant to bring forth those creatures".

"Woah…….." Naruto said astonished by all of the information he had to absorb.

"Now you two get going".

"Hai" and the both of us went off in search of Ryo.

We looked around in all of the shops and the room. There was only one place he could be, the training grounds.

"Naruto, let's check the training grounds".

He nodded and we hurried.

I opened the gate letting both of us in and by the sound of the noise in the background, Ryo was trying to perfect his blue lightening technique.

"Sakura-chan now I'm really starting to think Ryo was the one who stole the jewel".

I agreed, "Yea, but unfortunately we can't tell anyone because we don't have the evidence and the lightening country may wage war against us".

We walked further and found the training mannequins blown to pieces. I was inwardly hoping Naruto would be the first to speak up, I really didn't feel like talking to him at the moment.

"Hey, Ryo".

Ryo turned around meeting our two not so excited faces.

Naruto continued, "The kage meeting is today, let's go".

Ryo didn't say anything, he followed us out of the training grounds.

The walk to the Raikage tower was quiet. Naruto and I kept our distance from him, as usual, he was in the lead. The distance Naruto and I kept from each other……well……there actually was no distance.

We were probably a couple inches apart and I couldn't help but give him side glances.

"_I really hope he doesn't notice"._

The entire time, Naruto still kept that foxy grin on his face. I used to get irritated with it, but I've discovered, it looks great on him.

Every time he smiles, it lights up my whole day.

Right now, the blush is clearly evident on my face. I tired occupying my mind with other things, like how this entire mission is going to turn out. Or if Ryo will ever admit that he was the one who stole the jewel, or even maybe Tsunade-san will listen and kick Ryo out of our squad!

We arrived at the Raikage tower; I guess we had to discuss some sort of plan.

We stopped when getting to the lobby area and made ourselves comfortable on the sofas.

I was the first to speak up, "Ok……so Tsunade was saying that one of the advisors has the two scrolls and he is from a different village. I'm thinking it's probably going to be the Raikage's closest advisor, Hachiro".

Naruto again made me go weak in the knees with that smile of us, but I tried to keep myself cool.

"I think so too Sakura-chan, which one is Hachiro exactly?"

"Hachiro is the guy who has been giving me all of the hospital procedures. He was the one who told me in the first place that I would be the cloud village's temporary medic".

Naruto nodded, "What do you think Ryo?"

He just sat there with his arms folded across his chest, "I think this is a waste of time…….."

"_That's it he's gone too far this time"._

"Hayashi Ryo, this is something called a team discussion, which requires the entire team to participate and form a plan. Cooperation is something you don't know a thing about because you're so busy focusing on you you you all the time!"

His only response was a glare.

"_HAHA! Take that asshole!"_

Well……my mental celebration didn't last for too long once Ryo formed a full proof plan.

"I've talked to Hachiro and he's the kind that looks like he'll break under pressure. Sakura, you should be the one to get some information out of him since you've spent a lot of time together these past couple days. The dobe and I-"

The word 'dobe' seemed to set Naruto off.

"DOBE!? WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DOBE YOU……TEME!!!"

Ryo just ignored him and continued, "The dobe and I will rearrange the cameras in this entire building and check if anything suspicious is going on, meanwhile, just coax the important scroll information out of Hachiro".

Naruto and Ryo started walking to the other side of the building when Ryo turned around and smirked at me, "By the way…….you and Naruto would easily fail this mission if it weren't for me. I suggest you keep your mouth shut and do as I say".

Naruto glared at him in response and the two left before I could say anything.

"_That cocky-"_

"Hello Sakura-san"

The target has arrived.

"Hello Hachiro-san, how are you today?"

He plastered an artificial smile on his face, "Just fine thank you. Now I think Raikage-sama wanted the both of us to get to the hospital and start a couple procedures?"

I nodded, "Yes he did say that. Let's get going".

We walked on our way over and spent the rest of the time healing and diagnosing the patients.

Hachiro and I took a lunch break and ate in the cafeteria hospital. I just had a roast beef sandwich while he ordered a large bowl of soba noodles.

"_Now's my chance, I can't fail this mission"._

"Hachiro-san……….so I've known you for these past couple days and I've been wondering……you haven't really told me much about yourself".

He smiled sweetly. Too sweet if you asked me, it was more like a _sickly _sweet.

"Well…..yes that's true…..I am actually not from the cloud village. I don't know where I was from because when I was just a child, I was adopted by a family from the rice country".

"_The rice country!? You mean where those ninja came from a couple days ago?"_

I nodded,"Interesting……..so what made you decided to come here and work for the Raikage?"

He took a sip of his jasmine tea, "At the time both the rice and lightening countries were not on good terms with each other. The daimyo sent me there to work and make peace. We were on the brink of war. Raikage-sama was actually the son of the raikage at that time. Raikage-sama saw me helping to build an orphanage and he wanted to join me. We became good friends and many years later, his father died of illness and his son was named the new raikage. My charity work was finished but raikage-sama wished for me to stay and become his closest advisor. It made me feel honored and I accepted his offer".

I took a bite from my sandwich, "So…….if the both of you have been friends for a long time now you wouldn't do a thing to betray him, am I right?"

"Of course not! That is a preposterous assumption, why would you think something like that?"

I leaned in closer to him to make sure no one else could hear what we were talking about, "If that's the case, then about those rice country ninja who attacked the other day?"

"Don't jump to conclusions Sakura-san, I had nothing to do with those ninja".

"_Damn it, he's not budging. I have to get to the bottom of this……"_

I took a sip of my water, "Hachiro-san…….is the lightening country the holder of both the heaven and earth scrolls?"

He looked at me suspiciously probably wondering why all of a sudden the subject changed, "Yes, yes it is. Raikage-sama also entrusted me as the caretaker of those two artifacts".

"_I've got you now traitor"._

I fiddled with my straw in my glass, "Well I have heard so many great things about the scrolls. Since this is my first time here in the lightening country, I would at least like to see them. Do you mind?"

Hachiro-san wouldn't meet my eyes, "N-No….t-that's n-not necessary Sakura-san".

I smirked, "But why not? Who knows the next time I'm going to be here. This may be my first and only visit to the lightening country. Please let me".

He left the table and walked outside. I wouldn't let the conversation end there, so of course I followed him.

"Hachiro-san what is the big deal of letting me see those scrolls? You let other people see them all of the time. Is there something wrong with me?"

He stopped walking and turned to face me, "Listen Sakura-san……t-there n-not in the raikage tower right now okay?"

I stepped in front of Hachiro so he wouldn't walk any further and avoid the subject, "What do you mean the scrolls aren't in the raikage tower? They have been in that class case for 100 years, they can't just suddenly not be in the room. Wherever they are, I want you to take me to them".

He smirked at me, "And if I don't?"

"If you don't take me to them, I am going to assume that you took those scrolls and I _will_ tell the Raikage".

His smirk faded and his face became red and sweaty, "Come with me Sakura-san, the heaven and earth scrolls are in the raikage tower".

"_Score!"_

We entered the building and went through a couple of long corridors until we finally reached this one small door. I watched as he slowly turned the knob and he let me go in first. The room was dark and I couldn't see a thing. Suddenly I heard the door slam shut.

"I'm sorry Sakura-san but I can't let you foil with my plan" I heard him say on the other side of the door.

"_No! I can't believe I fell for it!"_

"You realize I can use my inhumane strength to break this door down!"

He laughed.

"_What's so funny?"_

"When I got to know you for the past week, I did my research on you. You have been trained by Tsunade-san so I planned ahead and reconstructed this door with titanium making sure that you can't break through. Those scrolls belong to me, and now that you're locked up in here I can have the scrolls all to myself!"

He left me to sulk in this dark room alone.

"_No I can't just sit here and sulk, I need to get out of here!"_

I kicked and punched and used every single form of taijutsu I could possibly think of, but no luck.

I sat down on the floor trying to brainstorm an escape plan.

"_There's no light switch so I can't see a thing……wait a minute……what's this?"_

My hands felt the texture of the floor, it was wood.

"_Wait a sec! This is wood! If I can't directly break the titanium I can use my cherry blossom impact on the wood. Once it's completely pulverized, the excess shock will deteriorate the titanium and I can break it open! This is genius!"_

I gathered up the chakra into my fists and wasted no time forcing a powerful punch.

"KYAAAAAAA!!"

The floor of the room was destroyed completely and, as I predicted, the excess shock significantly weakened the titanium. I used one kick and the door flew and crashed into the wall on the other side of the corridor.

"_Cha! I did it!"_

I wasted no time and ran back to the lobby area. There, I met Naruto and Ryo.

Naruto came running towards me and I was blushing like a madwoman, "Sakura-chan! How did talking to Hachiro go!?"

"Well it turns out that he is plotting against the raikage and planning to take those scrolls for himself. Except the only part I was not expecting was that he locked me into a dark room with a titanium door blocking my way".

"How did you find a way out!?" He asked me eagerly wanting to know.

I fiddled with my hair, "I guess I don't know my own strength. Anyway, did you two accomplish anything?"

Ryo walked towards the two of us, "While you were too busy being locked into a room we managed to get some valuable information by scattering those security cameras all around the towers. Apparently all of the advisors are plotting against the raikage. They plan to capture all of the kages and feudal lords after the meeting this afternoon. After doing so, they will try and threaten the other villages without leaders. The advisors want the wealth of each village along with the other stones of course".

"So what now?" asked Naruto plopping down on the sofa.

"We set up a plan to get ahead" Ryo explained briefly.

The three of us spent the next hour or so formulating our next move.

The kage meeting was about to end soon, so we got to our places.

I spent the remainder of the time outside in front of the entrance. I saw the shadows of the kages getting up and leaving the room from the window. Then everyone started yelling and screaming.

"_That must be Naruto"._

We discussed that Naruto use his kage bunshin technique to quickly escape with the kages and feudal lords out of the building and take them outside.

They arrived and seemed to be complaining and yelling at Naruto about why he did such a thing.

"NARUTO! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" ordered Danzo.

Naruto grinned his signature fox-like smirk which I love, "Relax old man. You'll see".

The conspirators ran out of the building, which meant, it was my turn.

I set up my stance to prepare for my cherry blossom impact technique. Without hesitation, I crushed the stone ground stopping the councilors from running in their tracks. The flying rocks and stones formed a neat little cage around them.

"_Sweet! They can't get away now"._

The raikage ran towards me, "Sakura-san! These are my advisors, let them go".

Tsunade walked over and put her hand on his shoulder, "Raikage-san, I'm sorry to say, but your advisors have been plotting against you from the very beginning".

The raikage was completely speechless. His body was shaking.

"I-Is…….t-this t-true H-Hachiro".

"Hachiro isn't with them" Naruto informed.

Everyone was surprised, including myself, "Where could he be?" the raikage asked.

His question was answered once Hachiro ran outside and tried escaping with the two scrolls in his bag.

"_That two faced monster, he betrayed his best friend and his fellow conspirators? How low can this guy get?"_

I was about to run for him when Ryo suddenly appeared in front of Hachiro.

"_This guy is fast"._

"L-Let me go!" Hachiro begged.

Ryo grabbed the collar of his robe, pulling him up, "Not a chance. You give those scrolls to me, or you will face serious consequences".

Hachiro laughed, "Consequences? You are just a kid! You can't possibly do a thing!"

Ryo smirked and closed his eyes. He let go of Hachiro and spread out his arms.

"W-What a-are y-you d-doing?"

Snakes……large scaly reptilian snakes came out of Ryo's sleeved and wrapped around Hachiro's body.

"_W-What is this guy?"_

"Give me those scrolls or you will be choked to death".

I could sense Ryo's killing intent; it gave off such a strong and powerful aura.

"Alright, alright!"

Seems he was able to control himself and the snakes disappeared. The only thing was, Ryo's killing intent paralyzed Hachiro.

The raikage retrieved the scrolls from Hachiro's bag, "H-Hachiro……w-why? Didn't our friendship mean anything to you?"

It looked difficult for Hachiro to speak since he was paralyzed, "I-It……did. I became curious and decided to take the scrolls to gain power".

"Your power hunger has permanently broken our friendship. Guards, take him and his followers away".

The raikage turned to the three of us, "Sakura, Naruto, Ryo…….thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now I really know what true intentions Hachiro had. Please take these scrolls as a gift, I entrust that they will remain safe and protected under Konoha's watchful eye".

Tsunade nodded, "It will, we assure you raikage-san. Well we must get going, but this isn't the last you'll see of us".

He smiled, "Good".

We said our goodbyes, packed our things, and made our way back to Konoha.

**Author's Note: **Review and let me know!!!! Tell me what you thought of it. I need more reviewers please! Here is the meaning of the name Hachiro:

Hachiro-eighth son

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	41. A Day of Pure Relaxation

**Author's Note: **Whoa, I can't believe I'm in the 40s already! This is crazy! Well, don't want to keep my lovely readers waiting! Here is the next one!

**Chapter 41: A Day of Pure Relaxation**

Yesterday my teammates and I spent our time traveling back to Konoha. I must say, I am exhausted!

Currently I'm eating breakfast telling my family about the mission.

"Sakura nee-san, did you get to kick a bunch of bad guy butt!?" asked Wataru.

You would think that a 10 year old would ask a more intelligent question.

I smiled at his childish behavior, "Yes Wataru, I got to kick some bad guy butt".

"So Saku, how did you like your new teammate Ryo?" asked mother passing dad the milk.

I took a bite of my pancake, "Ummm…..he was……..interesting….."

"Interesting?" questioned Shin eyeing me in a weird way.

"The guy is a complete jerk with a major superiority complex".

Dad took a sip of his coffee, "If he had a major superiority complex then hopefully he was a skilled ninja".

I nodded, "Yes I have to admit he is definitely a highly-skilled ninja. The weird thing is that his techniques and jutsus are so………inhuman".

"Inhuman!? You mean like he's a freak?"

"Wataru……" glared mom.

I continued, "Well…….I don't really know. He never told me anything about his past except for the fact that his parents were killed".

"Oh that's horrible……….maybe that's why he acts this way".

"It's possible" I shrugged.

I finished my breakfast and put everything in the sink, "Hey mom, dad I need to go and give Tsunade a full mission report. I'll see you later".

"Bye Saku!" They both said to me.

I ran out of the house and headed straight for the Hokage tower.

"Ah Sakura, you made it".

I smiled, "I sure did".

"Sup Sakura-chan!"

There I went again blushing. Naruto really is dense, how can he not notice?

He gave me a hug and I was inwardly celebrating.

"_YES YES YES YES!!!!!"_

He let me go and I was trying to hide my disappointment. There was Ryo standing in the corner of the room looking as indifferent as usual. You know what? I don't really care if I see him or not, he's a jerk.

Tsunade gathered her paperwork together and gave it all to Shizune, "So…..how did the three of you think the mission went?"

"Granny, why would you bother asking? We protected the priest and saved the scrolls".

She nodded, "True Naruto, but I also meant what you thought of your cooperation as a team".

Every one remained quiet not saying a thing.

I decided to speak up, "Well……all three of us have our strengths and weaknesses, we balanced each other out".

She smiled, "That's what I wanted to hear. This meeting is over……actually Naruto and Sakura you two stay, Ryo you may leave".

Ryo didn't say a word and left the room leaving the three of us.

"What did the two of you think of Ryo?" she asked clasping her fingers together.

Of course Naruto started ranting about his true feelings towards his teammate, "Ryo shouldn't even be part of our team. He's selfish, arrogant, and heartless!"

I nodded signaling that I agreed.

"Who thought of the plan to save all of the Kages?"

Naruto pursed up his lips and gritted his teeth, "Ryo……"

She grinned, "So even if he is a cold hearted and selfish person, the plan worked well didn't it?"

"Yes" the both of us said.

I decided to cut in, "But Tsunade-san, when you are in a group with other people everyone has to learn to get along. Naruto and I are sick and tired of putting up with Ryo's crap. He stressed us out more than we already were for the mission and as a team we have to stick together. He spends his time by himself training. You saw how all these years things worked really well with Sai on our squad. He was there for us more than we needed him to be, although the two look similar Ryo is nothing like Sai".

Tsunade leaned back in her chair taking a sip of her sake, "Yes that is true…..but tell me…….how do you think he would be on the ANBU black cop squad?"

"Like I said before Lady Tsunade, Ryo is not fit to be apart of the ANBU black cops. He has the intellect and the strength needed for a ninja of his caliber, but I don't think he's ready. He needs to learn a thing or two about working with others before he joins the ANBU team".

"I see…….Naruto do you also agree with Sakura?"

He turned to look at me and immediately nodded, "Sakura-chan is a smart girl. She knows what she's doing and I also think that you shouldn't let Ryo be apart of that team".

"Very well, if that's the case then Ryo will be your permanent team member".

"WHAT!?" The both of us loudly questioned with our jaws dropped open.

"Granny, what are you thinking!? We told you ourselves that we don't like him! Why should he be on our team anyway? Sakura-chan and I don't trust this guy one bit".

"Oh really?"

"Yes really! Granny, Sakura-chan and I believe Ryo stole the jewel of heavens from the shrine in the cloud village".

"And what evidence do you have of this?" she retorted.

It was my turn to explain, "Tsunade-san, the cloud village was being ambushed by rice country ninja. Ryo attacked the leader with strange blue lightening I have never seen in my life. I went and talked to Ayumu-san and asked him about the power of the jewel of heavens. He said it possesses the same power Ryo wields. I confronted him myself but he was trying to avoid the subject and before I could question him any further, the raikage needed to speak with me".

"Interesting…….well you don't know for sure so for right now, just forget about it and I will do some further investigation. As for Ryo being on your team, I think it's a great idea. Despite your differences, you three were able to work well together and successfully complete this mission. He can be pretty useful don't you think? Since you two strongly disagree with Ryo becoming apart of the ANBU squad, I want the two of you to decide when his is ready to take the job".

"Granny Tsunade, why are you so hell bent on getting Ryo to join the black cop squad?"

Tsunade finished filing her paperwork, "When he came to Konoha, I immediately had Ryo tested to see what he was capable of. His abilities were beyond extraordinary; he could be very useful as a member of the ANBU black cop squad. So since I trust the two of you more than anyone else, I want you to stay on the same team with him to determine his position on the squad. When he improves-"

"_That is IF he improves"._

"Let me know. Now that I've told you everything I needed you to hear, you two may leave".

Naruto and I left without a word.

"Man! I can't believe what that old hag is doing. It's like she's purposefully trying to destroy my life".

"Naruto she's not an old hag. But…….yes I can't believe she's doing this to us. I can't stand Ryo. I say that we don't deal with his crap for the next mission".

Naruto raised his arms up and put them behind the back of his head, "Oh yeah……say Sakura-chan………if you're not doing anything…….do you want to get some ramen with me?"

As usual, I blushed and couldn't help but crack a smile, "_Is he trying to ask me out? I don't know if I should"._

Suddenly my stomach growled.

"_I might as well go……I'm starving anyway……"_

"I'll go with you".

He grinned, "Great!"

Together the two of us walked down the village path. We talked about such random things. I never get bored with Naruto, and I'm so glad that we hang out a lot.

We arrived and sat down making some small talk with the owner and his daughter while ordering our usual meals.

"Hey old man, I'll take miso ramen and Sakura-chan here will have beef ramen".

"Coming right up!" He said while walking back to the kitchen.

I leaned in and spoke to his daughter Ayame, "So…..Ayame, how have you and Kiba been?"

She blushed while thinking of her boyfriend of three years, "Oh he's good! I need to find a gift for our three year anniversary".

"Oh, when is your anniversary?"

"Next week" she stated.

I beamed, "Well I can help you look for something before the big day".

"Thanks Sakura, as long as I've known you, you've always been nice to me. With your warm personality, I think it's going to be easy for you to find that special guy".

"_Why hasn't he come yet?"_

Ayame spoke up again snapping me out of my reverie, "Well I need to help me dad with some carry out orders. I'll see you two later!"

Ayame's father came back out of the kitchen and gave us our orders. Naruto and I did not hesitate to dig in.

"I love this!" declared Naruto.

"Of course you do. Actually everyone loves ramen here at the ichiraku ramen noodle shop!"

"That's the spirit Sakura-chan!"

I smiled and continued eating when he spoke up again, "You know Sakura-chan……Ayame is right. I think someone like you is able to find that special guy".

I blushed like a madwoman considering his face was close to me, "Well…..I-I don't know" I said while moving backward to increase the space between us.

"_Could Uzumaki Naruto be that special person in my life?"_

I put my hand on his shoulder, "I think you'll have no problems finding that special girl Naruto".

"Sakura?"

Both Naruto and I looked to the front of the ramen stand to see who called me, and the sight shocked me.

"_H-Hinata!?"_

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 41. Just a heads up, I will not be updating over the weekend because I will be going to Deep Creek. For those of you who don't know, that is in western Maryland. There are so many activities like tubing, kayaking, white water rafting, etc. I am excited. So I hope you all have a good weekend and I will update once I get back. I'm leaving Friday morning and coming back Sunday night. I'll probably update maybe Monday or Tuesday. So keep reviewing!!!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	42. Selfless

**Author's Note: **Hey readers! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Want to know why? Because my stupid laptop was malfunctioning so currently it's being fixed! Who knows how long it's going to take, so now I have to use the main computer which everybody likes to hog!

Anyway, onto this next chapter!

**Chapter 42: Selfless**

There was nothing else I could think of in this very moment other than the fact that Hyuuga Hinata was right in front of me.

It seemed like she didn't notice a thing, then again, I could be very wrong.

"H-Hello….S-Sakura……N-Naruto kun......"

Of course Naruto didn't notice the thick tension in the air. Instead he sheepishly grinned and gave her his trademark bear hug.

"HINATA!!!! How've you been? This mission was so long and tedious that I really wanted to come back home and see you!"

That seemed to really shock her. Knowing Hinata she must be thinking at this very moment, "_N-Naruto kun w-wanted to see me? Me out of all people!? Why?"_

Her face grew red and she unwrapped Naruto's arms from her small figure, "Thank you for being so……….thoughtful of me…..N-Naruto Kun….."

He gave the Hyuuga girl an inquiring look, "Thoughtful? I'm always thoughtful when it comes to you Hinata!"

There was a long and awkward silence making both Hinata and I a little uncomfortable with this whole situation. Naruto didn't seem to mind though, as a matter of fact, he never does.

Hinata was the first to speak up after a while, "Umm….w-well excuse me….I must go".

Naruto grabbed her wrist, "Just where exactly are you running off to?"

She couldn't look at him straight in the eye, "Ummm….I-I…..h-have a meeting with the rest of the Hyuuga clan leaders….."

Naruto understood and let her go, "Oh…….okay then…..I'll see you around Hinata!"

Without another word she immediately took off leaving the two of us. I didn't know what to make of this whole situation. Whether Naruto doesn't know or not, he did show some affection towards her, which made me happy. On the other hand, my stomach had this empty feeling and I was boiling a little inside.

"_I'm not jealous am I? No, that's clearly impossible! What kind of a friend am I to harbor these kinds of feelings for Naruto!?"_

"Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto while waving his hand over my dazed face.

I snapped back to reality and without helping it, blushed when I found Naruto less than a couple inches away from me.

"O-Oh, s-sorry Naruto!"

He smiled that beautiful smiled I've grown to love, "It's fine Sakura-chan…..so do you want to get dessert with me?"

When he asked that question I felt giddy blatantly wanting to accept his offer, but my conscience took over at the thought of Hinata.

I sighed, "Actually Naruto…….I should be getting somewhere, so I'll see you later okay?"

He grinned making me go weak in the knees, "Sure thing Sakura-chan! I'll see you around!"

I smiled and headed off to find Hinata.

On this particular day it **had** to be crowded. What made everything worse was the fact that I knew a lot of these people, I didn't want to sit there and have conversations so I made up a bunch of excuses saying that I had to be somewhere. They understood and I was on my way.

Looking long and hard, there was still no sign of her anywhere.

"_Where could she be!?"_

I looked in the towns and shops and forgot about her favorite area in Konohagakure, the lake.

I arrived after a couple minutes and it was completely empty until I caught sight of a figure lying on the soft grass by the shade underneath a large Sakura tree.

"Hinata!" I called out to her while waving my hand.

She sat up and smiled.

I ran over and sat next to her, "I thought you said you had a meeting….."

It took a couple minutes for her to register in her brain what I was talking about, "Oh….w-well…..I decided not to go…."

I smirked knowing that wasn't the case, "Or……there wasn't a meeting was there?"

She looked up at me and blushed, "N-No…..there was no meeting……"

There was a long but comforting silence. I admired Hina's attire. She wore a long white sundress which brought out her dark hair and beautiful pearl eyes which I wish I could have. Like me, Hinata never wears makeup showing her natural beauty. Over the years we've become so close, I consider her to be one of my best friends. She's gained confidence and makes her own decisions which is something that I really admire about her.

I decided to speak up.

"Why did you leave so suddenly Hinata?"

She sighed and brought a completely different topic up, "You love him don't you?"

That completely caught me off guard, "Huh? W-What d-do you mean I love him?"

She put her hand on my shoulder, "Please don't deny it Sakura-chan…….you hold very special feelings towards Naruto".

I didn't know what to say at this point, I wanted to find some way around it so I could make the both of us happy.

Of course, I couldn't think of a thing.

"Sakura……..do you or don't you?"

I guess there was no choice but to tell her, "Y-Yes…..I-I do….."

She smiled, making me even more confused.

"Hinata, I assure you that there is nothing going on between Naruto and I. Friendship comes first for me, so I've been trying to stay away from him. The only problem is………that he keeps pursuing me and constantly asking me on dates when he knows that I'm not interested".

She raised a finger, "Ah…..but you are and so is Naruto. I think it's time that I stay away".

I stared at her wide-eyed, "_How could she say that!? She's liked……no LOVED him for so long, she can't give up now!"_

"Hina, why are you all of a sudden saying these nonsense things? Don't you love him?"

She again raised a finger at me, "But just like you said, friendship comes first. Sakura you and I have known each other long than we've known Naruto. You come first, and I want you to be happy".

She got up and started walking away and I did the same trying to catch up to her, "What about your happiness!? Doesn't that matter to you at all! Stop trying to be selfless when we both know your heart is dying inside. You truly love Naruto and I know as dense as he may be, he probably feels the same way about you".

Hinata shook it away like it was nothing and laughed bitterly, "No………have you seen the way he looks at you? He loves YOU Sakura not me. I need to learn to live with it and move on".

There she walked leaving me alone as the cherry blossom petals danced around me.

**Author's Note: **How did you all like this chapter? REVIEW PLEASE! So I guess until my laptop gets fixed, I will have to use the family computer. By the way I didn't tell you guys about deep creek! It was so much fun, I recommend it everyone. I got to swim in the lake, go tubing, ride a roller coaster which I could control myself, AND go white water rafting which was the highlight of my trip.

Anyway review and I will post another chapter hopefully soon. Sorry for the long wait.

Thanks to all my loyal fans,

Sweetness.


	43. Naruto's Guardian Angel

**Author's Note: **Hey again everyone! As I said, I will try to update faster so here I am writing another chapter on the same day. Here it is!

**Chapter 43: Naruto's Guardian Angel**

A couple months passed since Hinata and I talked about Naruto. Things have just been so..........different..........

_"How can Hinata do this to herself? She loves him doesn't she?"_

Naruto and I still hang out a lot but I've started noticing that Hinata can't keep her eyes off of him. Well......how can she not? She's the one who loves him right?

I've started to question my feelings for Naruto. He's a sweet guy and he's been my best friend for so long, but he's the kind of person who I just can't picture being with. I may be attracted to him somewhat, but I don't sense a connection whenever we're together.

I don't think its love anyway..........to me, it just seems like a childish crush.......

He's my brother, there's no way I could think of him in that way. I can't bear to see one of my closest friends suffer like this. Hinata has always been there for me when I needed her, so now it's time to reciprocate.

I was on my way to the market to pick up a few things for mother. Tonight she planned on making my favorite: Umeboshi dumplings.

It's almost impossibly irresistible to eat the pickled sourness of the vegetable dumplings.

The grocery bazaar came up and I proceeded to look around for the freshest and ripest of ingredients.

"Sakura-chan?"

I turned around after picking out a couple of tomatoes, "Hey Naruto".

_"I was hoping not to run into him today........_" I inwardly complained.

I sheepishly grinned and went back to picking out more groceries hoping he would leave, but as usual, he persisted to talk to me.

Naruto walked over and stood next to me grinning, "So.........how've you been Sakura-chan? We haven't been on a mission together in a while......"

I continued to look at the fruit instead of him, "Yeah we haven't but............things I guess have been good......."

There was a long and awkward silence which I tried to ignore by finishing up picking out the ingredients and paying for everything.

Naruto continued to follow me.

"Can I help you with your bags Sakura-chan?"

I was about to answer when I saw Hinata walking towards the market. She certainly saw the two of us and tried to look away.

Naruto seemed to notice where I was looking and the sight of her made him smile, "HINATA!"

She looked up and ran off without saying a thing.

"_She made it so obvious"._

Naruto scratched his head and turned to face me, "Sakura-chan why did she run off like that? Then again.....I've started noticing that Hinata is always staring at me and turning away......."

I smiled coyly signaling to him that I knew something that of course he didn't know, "She finds something very interesting about you that's all Naruto......"

Naruto raised a brow, "Interesting? What does she find so interesting about me?"

I beamed, "_This is my chance!"_

We continued to walk around the village, "Well.......what's not so interesting about you? You're brave, loyal to your loved ones, you're handsome-"

Naruto's face immediately became red as soon as I mentioned he was good looking, but I ignored it and continued naming his good qualities.

"and you're...........selfless......."

"_Both Hinata and Naruto are selfless individuals..........they belong together"._

I continued, "These are the qualities which Hinata finds so interesting about you".

It seemed to me like he didn't care what Hinata thought of him or not, "What about you Sakura-chan? Do you think those things of me?"

"_Great......he just HAD to put me on the spot......"_

I took a deep breath quickly trying to make up some answer that he would be satisfied with, "Well.........yes.....I do think those things about you.......but.....remember in middle school when I completely hated your guts?"

"Yes" he chuckled at the memory.

"Well......never once did I even THINK about your good qualities. Actually come to think of it, no one else at that time acknowledged you or anything......except for one person, and that very person was Hinata".

It seemed like a lot for him to take in.

I spoke up again, "Naruto.......we are the best of friends and I can tell you anything right?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and focused on what I was saying, "Yeah.......why?"

_"Ok......you can do this......he's your best friend and he won't judge you on anything that you say......"_

"Well......I really appreciate the fact that you admire me.........but..............I think that there is someone else out there for the both of us......."

He looked shocked and I felt guilty for telling him, but there was no other choice. With Naruto, you have to be direct and get straight to the point.

I continued speaking to ease the tension, "You know.......at one point I did have strong feelings for you, and I think I may have confused them for love. It was going on for a couple months, but my conscience told me to stop".

"Why did you have to stop Sakura-chan?" he asked while taking a step closer towards me.

I took a step back, "I stopped because........I realized that……..I don't deserve you........"

He was taken aback, "W-Wha.......S-Sakura-chan.......w-what are you s-saying?"

Naruto grabbed my face and held it in between his larger calloused hands, "We belong together........I-I've wanted to say this for so long so I'll say it now.............I love you.........."

_"H-He l-loves m-me!?"_

As his best friend I didn't want to be the heartless person taking away his happiness. Then I realized if the two of us were together........neither one would be happy.

I wouldn't be happy because I was never in love with him and Naruto would realize later in life that I wasn't the one his heart belonged to after all.

I nodded, "N-No....."

The look he gave me seemed like he couldn't believe what I was saying, "S-Saku-"

I cut him off, "No Naruto......I am telling you this right now.......neither of us would be happy if we were together.......I don't love you in that way and I think at some point, you will realize that I was not that one person you'd fall for".

It brought me to tears telling Naruto these things, but I tried to keep a strong mind and deal with this situation, "Naruto.....I'm saying this because there is a young woman who has been there for you all these years even when I wasn't. She cheered for you on the sidelines when no one else would, she has sworn to stick up for you and defend you even if it costed her life......like you………she is also a selfless individual........She told herself that if anything happened to you, she would pay for the consequences. Whether you know this or not, she's been watching out for you for all these years……….she's…….your guardian angel…….."

Neither of us had anything to say and with that, I ran off and left Naruto by himself to think about what just happened.

_"Naruto...........I'm so sorry.........."_

Suddenly I bumped into something on my way home......it was Tsunade. She wasn't acting like her normal self. She looked like she was in complete and utter distress like something bad happened.......

"Tsunade-san........are you alright?" I asked with concern wiping my tears away.

Her answer answered my question perfectly, "Sakura......you need to come with me quick, Danzo was murdered".

**Author's Note: **How did you like this one? Review and let me know!

Thanks a bunch!

Sweetness.


	44. Tsunade and Her Sake

**Author's Note: **So like I said, I am trying to update faster. Enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 44: Tsunade and Her Sake**

My sadness and guilt immediately left me as soon as I heard the news.

"B-But......w-who? h-how?" I asked worridley.

Sure Danzo was not very well-liked amongst the citizens of Konoha, but I had to be concerned because he did watch over our village for a while.

Tsunade was panting trying to catch her breath from running, "There is no time to waste, I will tell you later now let's get going!"

We both ran as fast as our legs could take us. The two of us smashed through all of the trees and other obstacles in our way until we left the village and right outside lay Konoha's not so beloved Danzo. The gauze all over his body was uncovered with pools of red liquid dripping from his pupiless eyes to the dark green grass of the shaded area.

The sight disturbed me.

Tsunade and I walked closer to examine and look for any clues, but to our dismay, the murderer was plenty of steps ahead of us.

I ceased examining and turned to face my mentor, "Did you find him like this?"

she nodded her head, "I was the only one.......no one else in the village knows except for the two of us. I don't want them panicking just yet".

I bent down and removed Danzo's robe. Someone scarred his skin. It was difficult to tell because the marking was made with blood. It was etched into a circular shape divided into two sections. On the top part you could see all of Danzo's intenstines and blood inside his body. On the bottom, it was just his plain white skin. The sign somehow strangely looked familiar.

That's when it hit me.

The last time I saw a symbol like this was the night I encountered the mysterious compound in the secluded area of Konoha. Then I remembered when Tsunade told me about the symbol of the Uchiha clan. She described it the same way with the red and white colors shaped into a circle.

"Lady Tsunade!"

She immediately met my eyes sensing the urgency in my voice.

"Yes Sakura".

I continued studying the marking on the ex-hokage's body, "This marking......it's like a symbol that I've seen before and that you've also mentioned....."

She raised a brow, "You don't mean-"

"Yes, I think this is the Uchiha clan symbol".

The look she gave me was a little indecisive. It was like she wanted to believe me but then thought it was something completely impossible, "Sakura.......I don't know what to tell you......yes it is the Uchiha clan symbol, but they were massacred so many years ago".

"Are you sure there weren't any survivors left?" I countered.

She sighed, "Well......that was so many years ago....but I'll try to remember. Actually, the murderer was the eldest son of the head at that time. His name was Itachi Uchiha".

I urged her on, "So do you think it may have been Itachi?"

She nodded her head, "No......Itachi has been confirmed dead for about six years now........."

I paused for a couple minutes trying to think of something else to ask her, "What about the founder, Madara?"

"People have been searching for so long Sakura, Madara has presumed to be dead for four years but I still have a feeling he's out there somewhere. Although.....there was one innocent survivor of the massacre......."

I kept quiet waiting for Tsunade to tell me more.

"He was the younger brother of Itachi and the youngest son of Fugaku Uchiha, Sasuke. When he was eight years old, his older brother attacked the clan but decided to, for some reason, spare him. Sasuke attended school in Konoha up until thirteen years old. One night, he mysteriously left and never came back. No one knows, like the rest of his clan, if he's even alive".

"Why would he leave Konoha? Wasn't he happy here?" I questioned.

"Well, Sasuke apparently excelled in the ninja academy not as much as his brother though. He did very well and was admired by the entire female population in Konoha. I don't understand why someone would bother to leave if you had a life like that".

Tsunade and I both left the body and stood up, "So now what Tsunade-san? We still need to find out who the perpetrator is, and what about the people? Aren't they, at some point, going to be wondering where the Hokage is?"

She thought about it for a moment, "I guess I'll just tell them that Danzo is away for a couple weeks to attend some meeting. If we tell them now, chaos will ensue and other villages and countries will use this as an advantage to attack and pillage Konoha.

I nodded signaling that I understood.

I looked back at Danzo's body sitting under the tree, "Lady Tsunade......maybe we should hide the body somewhere incase no one else finds out ne?"

She sheepishly grinned probably thinking how foolish she could have been to leave his body out here like this, "Ooops, we probably should. The sake must be getting to me......."

_"Thats Tsunade for you......"_

The two of us dug through the ground and buried Danzo. We patted the ground to make sure the dirt was firm.

"Lady Tsunade.......don't you think we should atleast say a few words about our now deceased Hokage?"

She looked at me as if saying, "_Wasn't burying the guy enough!?"_

I tapped my foot impatiently while giving her the "be a good person look".

She sighed in defeat, "Alright.......but you start".

The two of us aligned ourselves next to each other facing the ground, "Well......we are gathered here today to mourn the death of Konoha's beloved-"

A cough was heard and I gave Tsunade a glare as I continued my little eulogy.

"Konoha's beloved Hokage. Although he was not very well liked among our people, he did have some good qualities......like....."

For about 5 minutes I just stood there wondering what good traits a person like Danzo had.

Tsunade gave me a smirk silently telling me, "_HAH! He had no good qualities, I was right!"_

I had to prove her wrong, so I decided on making everything up, "He was........intellectual......sophisticated.....and.......was very open minded about things".

Ok so the open minded part was half right. He was only open minded when consulting with the elders, but he completely ignored and tossed aside the ideas of his own people which is what people predominantly couldn't stand about him.

I turned to Tsunade and smirked back, "Now it's your turn".

She glared and cleared her throat, "Danzo......what can I say about him......he was completely different from the other Hokages. Unlike him, they put others before themselves which is what made them admirable to their people. Danzo and I never got along because our personalities were so different. I am fiery and stubborn while he would always demand everything be done his own way without thinking of others before himself".

I was hoping she would say something decent about him.

She continued, "His personality was………something ineffably indescribable. There were some I guess OKAY traits he had……"

"Which are?" I urged her on.

Tsunade took a deep breath and went on, "Ummmm……."

Her pause took even longer than mine. I could see small beads of sweat on the side of her face, and her paranoia increased.

"Uhhhh…………………..I NEED MORE SAKE!"

She ran off leaving me with a dead guy. It took a little time for my mind to register what exactly happened.

"TSUNADE-SAN! YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE!"

She didn't even bother turning back and responding, instead the said woman just kept on running inside the village.

I followed suit, but it was difficult to catch up.

"_How is this woman so fast!? Does alcohol do something to your system?"_

"LADY TSUNADE, GET BACK HERE IMMEDATELY!"

She still chose to ignore me and it got the point where we ran into the crowded area of the village and people were staring probably thinking that the two of us are complete maniacs.

I looked ahead to the direction where she was headed, and it looked like she was going for the Hokage tower.

"_Perfect, I can corner her there"._

Unfortunately people couldn't seem understand what the words "excuse me or pardon me" meant. It was so crowded that I head to bust my way out of the hordes and cluster of people walking around.

I reached to the entrance of the tower and almost ran into Shizune.

"Oh my…..I'm so sorry Shizune-san, I really didn't mean-"

"It's fine Sakura, if you're looking for the sake-deprived woman, she just ran upstairs to get to her sake stash in her office" she informed me while brushing off her clothes.

I grinned, "Gotcha thanks a lot Shizune-san! I'll see you at the hospital tomorrow!"

"Ok, see you then Sakura" She said while tending to Ton Ton.

I climbed the stairwell and busted into Tsunade's office finding her gulping down what likes like gallons of sake.

"How immature can you be Lady Tsunade!?"

She finished taking her last sip and looked at me, "What do you mean I'm immature?"

Suddenly Tsunade's hand couldn't move and she wasn't able to take another drink with it, "What in the world is going on!?"

"You must have too much alcohol in your system if you weren't able to detect my chakra-enhanced shadow technique. Although…….I didn't even need to use that much chakra to control your troublesome condition……."

I looked in the direction of the voice and of course if the word troublesome is used in a sentence, then it's got to be Nara Shikamaru.

There he was lying against the door with his arms crossed with his trademark unenthusiastic expression. When the two of us first started out, he constantly annoyed me with his lethargic behavior and elderly-like manner. I've grown accustomed to his personality, and the two of have created a lifelong bond learning to trust and encourage each other throughout all these years.

By looking at his clothing, you could tell for a fact that Temari has done a lot with his wardrobe. They made a compromise that he could keep wearing his drab colors as long as he's not too lazy about not wearing the same thing a couple days in a row. The two of them went shopping and Temari ordered different versions of Shika's outfit, so the two of them are happy.

It's kind of funny. With women, Shikamaru's opinion slowly changed over the years. In our genin days, he would constantly come with remarks like, "women are troublesome, the only thing their good for is nagging".

Yes that is pretty harsh. In our teenage years, he and I trained a lot and went on a lot of missions together. The only way to get through them was to trust me, his only teammate.

I was only the tip of the iceberg.

Ino actually became Shika's best girlfriend, I have no idea how that happened. Their personalities are completely different. She loves to tease him, but I guess he's learned to deal with it.

Then came Temari.

She, Ino, and I hang out together a lot. Shikamaru met her through us and in his own way, seemed to take a liking to her. Temari is a lot like Ino except she's tough and not at all girly.

The two became very close and the two of them became liaisons between Sunakagure and Konohagakure. With their jobs, the two had to consult with each other about so many things and got to see each other so often.

I have a feeling their going to end up together.

It looked like Shikamaru wasn't alone, Chouji and Sai arrived with him.

Chouji hasn't changed much. We're all proud of him that he's become comfortable with himself. He used to get so upset about being called fat or chubby. He later realized that he could utilize his obese stature to the advantage of his opponents. I helped him to discover that, and along with the help of course from Shika and Ino, we became good friends. He now eats chakra-enhanced chips which help to increase his stamina.

Then I looked at Sai.

He's grown into a really handsome guy, and I can't blame Ino for liking him. She was actually the one who told him to wear something that would cover his belly. It was a good thing she did, it looked horrible. Some people confused him to be almost……gay…….

His sleek black hair remains the same along with his ever so pale skin. Like Temari, Ino adjusted Sai's wardrobe. With her taste, he's become one of the most stylish looking guys in Konoha. He wears a sleeveless black shirt showing off his toned biceps with matching black plans and gloves.

I'm also glad he's become more mature about calling Naruto a guy with no penis. I used to get kind of weirded out with that.

The three came into the room and reprimanded Tsunade about her alcohol intake.

"Lady Tsunade, you need to do something about your obsession with sake" said Chouji while munching on his chips.

She glared, "I'm not the one eating CHAKRA-enhanced chips fatty".

Chouji was taking deep breaths trying to calm himself. Tsunade is not sensitive to people's feelings when she's drunk".

Shikamaru stepped in and decided to change the subject, "Anyway……Sai, Chouji, and I came back from Suna and we wanted to give you our mission report".

"And?" she asked wanting him continue.

"It was something completely unexpected….." Sai continued for him.

"How so?"

Sai spoke again, "Well……for the first couple days everything went ok. We continued to help the Suna government out to show how loyal we, ninja from Konoha, are. At one point, we wanted to go see the shrine in Suna. The priest there was a complete wreck. He said something about their sacred wind stone being stolen".

Tsunade and I gasped, signaling to them that there was something indeed very……very……..wrong.

**Author's Note: **So tell me, what did you think? REVIEW PLEASE! Also, I kind of have this questionnaire thing. What exactly do you think of the story? Do you like it? What's your favorite part/chapter? Who is your favorite character(s)? Do you think I am a good writer? (You can be as honest as you like, you can say I'm terrible I won't mind).

Thanks and keep reading!

Sweetness.


	45. Bonds

**Author's Note: **hello again! By the way, another question added to my little 'questionnaire', what made you exactly want to read this fanfiction in the first place? I know these are kind of random questions but I just all of a sudden became really curious. Ok, I'll stop rambling and let you all start reading! Enjoy!

**Chapter 45: Bonds**

"How did this happen!?" Tsunade demanded to the other three.

"No one knows you're drunkliness, and why would you even bother caring about some stupid stone?" asked Chouji while digging further into his bag of chips.

She glared in response, "You dimwit, I've gotten used to the alcohol all these years so know exacty what you're talking about. That 'stupid' stone is legendary and sacred along with the other nine jewels of the other shrines!"

"Tsunade-sama, exactly what are they used for?" asked Sai curiously while respectfully bowing his head.

She put the rest of her sake away and sat down in her seat, "These different stones are used for two different things: The first, is for powering up and enhancing the strength of the different elemental jutsus. The second, is when all nine stones are together each one has the power to summon the nine fox demons from their human containers".

"What's our next step Lady Tsunade?" Shikamaru spoke up.

She clasped her hands together while closing her eyes trying to think of some feasible plan, "At this point, I'm sorry to say that I have no idea what to do. The same thing happened to the jewel of heavens in the lightening country, there are no clues to who has been stealing these stones. I'll try to figure something out and keep investigating. That doesn't mean that the four of you forget about this case, keep on the look out for anything suspicious and if you find something, come and let me know immediately. That is all, you may go".

The four of us headed on out into the hallways of the Hokage tower, "Sakura, do you want to come and see my exhibition tonight?"

"Well......I am actually spending the whole day with Ino, but we'll probably stop by later on in the evening".

"Ok then, I'll see you soon".

I waved them goodbye and continued walking the opposite direction. Things were eerily quiet today, and I couldn't help but think of those jewels.

_"Who would want to take something so sacred and holy to a village?"_

Then the image of Ryo popped into my head.

_"Ugggghhhhh, I HATE him!!!!"_

It's been a couple months since the two of us last saw each other. Tsunade sent him on some scouting mission in a couple other countries to prove his worth as a member of the ANBU squad.

_"He doesn't deserve that title"_

Then I started thinking about what went on during the mission in the lightening country.

_"I still stand by my belief that Ryo stole the jewel of heavens!"_

Just thinking of him made me angrier and angrier by the second, it was hard to get him out of my head.

"_That jerk! I hope something bad happens to him, so that I will never have to see his UGLY face again!"_

My thoughts were interrupted at the sight of an old man wearing a white cloak with the familiar lightening bolt-imprinted medallion around his neck.

_"Ayumu-san? What's he doing here?"_

He knocked on the door to Tsunade's office and I heard her yell a "come in" from the inside. He opened it and after closing the door, I decided to a little eavesdropping.

I usually don't eavesdrop, but there must be something wrong if Ayumu-san traveled all the way from the lightening country to Konoha.

I put my ear against the door and listened.

"Ah, Ayumu-san It's been a while hasn't it? How has everything been? What's brought you here to Konoha?" asked Tsunade putting down a glass on her desk, which most likely was sake.

I heard ayumu-san pull a chair so he could take a seat, "Things have been ok Tsunade-san. The lightening country is at peace. If Sakura-san, Ryo-san, and Naruto-san weren't there, things would have gotten completely out of hand. How are the three of them by the way?"

Tsunade chuckled, "Well....that's very thoughtful of you to say that. Naruto is his usual dimwitted-"

Ayumu-san cut her off, "Oh Tsunade-san, please refrain from saying such things. Yes, while being with Naruto-san, I was able to detect his.........lack of knowledge for most things but the young man has so many great qualities which I really liked. He didn't know me very well, but insisted to put his very own life on the line for my sake and he's the kind of person who knows how to make people laugh. You should feel proud and lucky to have someone like Naruto-san".

"I guess you're right Ayumu-san.......I never appreciate it when Naruto calls me 'granny' or 'baa-san".

"That's his very own way of showing his affection for you. Just think, you must be the only woman in Konoha who holds that title. He calls me grandpa, and I don't mind. How about Ryo-san?"

"I sent Ryo on a scouting mission with a couple of other ANBU squad members. It's basically a test, to see how much his skills have improved and how they can be utilized".

"Ah, Ryo-san will have no problem being a member of this ANBU squad. He demonstrated his worth and nobility as a Shinobi when helping my people. Has he always been like this as a child?"

This got me listening intently.

She sighed, "Ryo arrived here about a few months ago. I don't know a thing about his background. He's not very open and likes to keep to himself. I can tell for a fact that he doesn't like to work with others because of his major superiority complex. It was a bit strange how one day, he randomly appeared and claimed that he was some nomadic ninja hoping to harnest and improve his techniques while learning from the best here in Konoha".

"Hmmmm.....I see......I could tell that Ryo-san did not exactly get along with his teammates. While being around him, I sensed a dark aura around him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the divine beings telepathically told me not to trust him because he had evil intentions".

"Oh really?" she asked probably raising a brow.

_"Evil intentions? I knew I couldn't trust him!"_

"But that is just a thought Tsunade-san. What do you think?"

I heard her lean back in her chair, "Honestly Ayumu-san I have no idea what to believe........I've been stressed out for a while with hearing all of these horrible things going on".

"Horrible things?"

"Today I just heard that the wind stone was also stolen".

There was a long silence afterwards until Ayumu-san decided to speak up, "This is the very reason I have to come to Konoha, to seek your help. I also heard about the wind stone, and last night, I found out about the stone in the mist village. We need to do something to stop this madness!"

"I know, but......I just don't know what to do. There is no evidence of the perpetrator........."

"Tsunade-san, I heard rumors that the rain country is the next target. Maybe it would help to set up a team to protect the jewel".

"I suppose you're right. I have the perfect team already set up for you: Naruto, Sakura, and Ryo. They will be your bodyguards on the way there just like last time. Stay here for a couple days until the four of you leave on Monday. Ryo should be back by then. If you see Naruto or Sakura, tell them about this mission. Thank you for coming forth and telling me, I will do some further investigation while you are away".

I heard Ayumu-san get up out of his chair, "Thank you for helping Tsunade-san, it was a wise choice to come and seek your assistance".

And with that, I heard footsteps coming closer to the door.

"_I better leave, if either one catches me eavesdropping, I'm doomed!"_

I ran to the other side of the hallway and watch as Ayumu-san left the room. He stood in one spot and turned to my direction, "eavesdropping were we?"

"_How did he know!?"_

I approached him while sheepishly grinning at my childish behavior, "I'm sorry Ayumu-san……..I guess my curiosity got the better of me".

He smiled in assurance, "That's quite alright Sakura-san, just to let you know that you can't pull any tricks on me. The Gods will let me know".

Afterwards, we shared a long time no see hug and went out into the village.

I toured Ayumu-san around for the day and we talked about the recent things going on in our lives.

I checked the time and I needed to meet with Ino in a couple minutes. We decided to have dinner out tonight.

"Oh gosh, I don't mean to be rude Ayumu-san, I need to meet someone somewhere".

"Oh that's perfectly alright with me then, I have a couple old friends I wanted to visit here in Konoha. I will see you Monday then".

I waved him good bye and headed home to get changed and went back out to the restaurant.

It was a small quaint-looking noodle bistro place. There was a nice, comforting feel which I really liked about it. I looked around and took in the fresh-smelling aromas of the freshly made noodles.

"_Mmmmmmm…….just like mothers"_

"SAKURA!"

I looked to the direction of the voice. Who else has a high-pitched voice who doesn't care if she's disturbing the other customers or not?

That's definitely Ino.

I walked over and we both shared a hug.

"Saku, I'm so glad to see you! I thought my mission was never going to end!"

I sat down across from her at our table, "It was only for a week Ino. All you had to do was deliver a message to one of the other feudal lords, it's not that hard".

She sighed, "I know I know……but I missed you! Which is why here we are in a cute little noodle bistro shop!"

The waiter came and took our orders.

"I'll have an order of the chicken ramen but please make sure you go light on the salt. Also, don't make it too spicy. I don't like spicy. I'd also like a side order of the fried tempura. Don't make it too fried though, just light enough so I don't get sick to my stomach. Trust me, you do NOT absolutely NOT want to see ME-"

"INO!!!!" I cut in.

She sheepishly grinned, "Ehhhh…..sorry?"

The waiter turned to me relieved that he didn't have to listen to Ino, "and for you ma'am?"

"I'll just have a beef ramen" I plainly ordered.

With that he left, leaving the two of us.

"So……how have you been Ino? Besides the mission?"

"Things have been alright I guess……it's no fun growing up. I've been helping out at the academy a lot with Iruka-sensei".

I smiled reminiscing the academy days, "Those were the days…….I miss Iruka-sensei being my teacher. He still comes and over and hangs out with my parents, but it's not the same….."

"Yeah I Know what you mean………so everything is okay with Iruka-sensei and your mom?"

"Oh yeah perfectly fine" I assured her.

Our orders arrived and the two of us dug in.

"So how is everything with Sai?" I started back up again.

She continued to stir her bowl, "Sai……….sometimes I feel like he doesn't pay attention to me at all. I mean we're not together or anything but……..every time I try talking to him, it's like he's more focused on being a shinobi and of course his artwork. You know what I mean?"

I nodded in understanding, "Yes……I do know that you mean. Actually, tonight Sai is having an exhibition for his art work and everyone else is going to be there. We should go!"

Ino made a face, "That's even more of a reason not to go. He is going to continuously talk about art, and I am not going to get interested".

"Well then get interested! Maybe if you talk about art with him, the two of you can hit it off from there! Did you know art is basically what makes fashion?"

She looked up at me surprised, "Really?"

"Yes really. Ino you're the fashionista, I would think that you knew this stuff by now. Without art, there is no fashion. They are both connected".

She stared at me with her mouth wide open, "Forehead, you are a GENIUS!"

"That's what I'm here for Ino-pig".

"So enough about me Saku, how is everything going between you and Naruto?" she slyly asked.

My mood suddenly changed and I lost my appetite.

She gave me a concerned look, "Saku? Is everything alright?"

I couldn't help the tears coming out of my eyes and I started choking up on my words, "I-I……….I'm……f-fine……."

She nodded, "No you certainly don't look okay, did that jackass do something to you!?"

I wiped my tears away, "N-No…….i-it's just that……….I still have some feelings for him but…….I had to let him go because I realized that we wouldn't be happy together, he really deserves Hinata".

She came over to my side of the table and gave me a hug, "Oh Sakura……..I guess you're right…….so did you tell Naruto?"

"I did but afterwards, I ran away and just left him there alone. I don't know how I can face him now".

"Well……he will be at the art exhibit tonight, so you can talk to him there".

I turned to face her, "I-I…….don't think that's a good idea".

Ino stood up with her hands on her hips, "Haruno Sakura, you're going with me whether you like it or not!"

After paying the bill and finishing up, she literally dragged me all the way to the exhibit.

It was a lavishly decorated hallway with white marble floors and walls adorned with colorful portraits and scenery.

"_It's like a whole other world……."_

Everyone was dressed so elegantly and the music made everything so sophisticated. It was calming and soothing, perfect for an art exhibit.

Ino grabbed my wrist and led me over to our usual group of friends.

"Hey guys!" she greeted.

"Hello troublesome girl" Shika replied.

She bopped him on the head, "What's a lazy bum like you doing here!?"

Sai stepped in, "I invited him to my art show".

She looked at him and blushed. It truly was a funny sight to see Yamanaka Ino of all people become so shy and timid all of a sudden.

"Sai, is there any food around here?" asked Chouji who seemed to be deprived of chips today.

"Yes, go down that hallway and you will see a large buffet with all sorts of assortments".

Without another word, Chouji ran off.

"Well everyone I encourage you all to walk around and take a look at my artwork. Enjoy, and I want everyone to come back to the lobby in a couple hours".

And with that, we scattered.

I walked around completely enchanted by the colorful world standing right before me. Who knew Sai could be this talented. He worked on many different mediums from sculptures, to landscaping, to murals".

While turning back around, I found Kakashi-sensei looking at a sculpture of a man reading a book.

"Hello Kakashi-sensei" I greeted.

He turned to face me, "Sakura, it's good to see you. Are you enjoying yourself?"

I nodded, "Yes, yes I am".

I studied the sculpture, "Sensei, don't you think this sculpture reminds you a lot of yourself? He's so wrapped up and into his novel just like you always are".

He chuckled at my observation, "Yes……that's very true".

We talked more about training and our upcoming missions until Naruto came and joined us. He seemed quieter than usual.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei…….Sakura……."

The tension in the air was a little too thick and awkward for my taste.

Sensei seemed to notice our behavior and decided to leave the two of us alone, "I think I'll join Anko and Kurenai at the buffet. I'll see you two later".

"_You traitor! Why would you leave me here alone!?"_

This was probably the first time things were ever like this around Naruto. I had to say something and make things right.

"Naruto?"

He turned to face me. I looked carefully at his face. He had dark rings under his pained blue eyes, and I didn't see his usual foxy grin etching his face.

I continued, "I wanted to you tell you that……..I'm sorry…….sorry for just running off like that. You are my best friend and I need to be here with you and not leave you alone. Please be your goofy normal self……I can't bear to see you like this……"

He still didn't give me that smile I was longing to see, "Why Sakura? Why would you say that we're not meant to be together? I love you with all my heart. I will make you happy………..I've been loyal to you all these years and harboring these strong and intense feelings for you………"

I tried my best to keep my tears from falling, "N-Naruto…….I don't love you in that way……and if you love me like you say you do……you would accept the fact and move on. Trust me, you have always been meant for someone else. I know it's hard to let go, but please try…….for me…….."

That seemed to get through to him. He approached me and kissed me on my forehead.

"Okay……for you……."

I smiled and gave him a hug while telling him that I was sorry for all the pain I've caused him for all these years.

We pulled away and started talking about other things.

"So……Sakura-chan…….who is that girl I'm meant for?"

I smirked, "I'm not going to just tell you! You have to find out for yourself".

"But Sakura-chan!!!!! Why do you have to be like this!?"

He followed me practically everywhere asking but I kept telling him no and he finally gave up.

I saw Ino and Sai talking and having conversation.

"_You go pig!"_

I listened in to hear what they were talking about.

"Oh Sai, Fujimoto has not only painted and designed shrines, he's also been designing clothes. My favorite actually. So as a gift for your hard work, I brought you a nice men's outfit.

"Thank you Ino" he said while taking it.

It was now time for everyone to gather in the lobby.

There was Sai standing up on stage behind a podium speaking.

"Good evening everyone, I want to thank all of you for coming and enjoying tonight's event. I especially want to thank Yamato-sensei for helping me to arrange everything. If you all haven't noticed, tonight's pieces were all interconnected with the same theme. There were pictures and sculptures and murals of all the people I have grown so close to and met in my life. When I arrived in Konoha about 5 years ago, I knew nothing about friendship and relationships. Slowly I learned and have developed unbreakable bonds. There is one type of bond which I have yet to learn about but I would also like to give a try. That is a bond between a man and a woman. There is a young woman right here in the audience who has taught me a few things about the female gender, even if she doesn't think she did".

Sai left the stage carrying a bouquet of roses with the spotlight on him. He came towards the back of the room where I was.

He stopped in front of me, smiled, and turned to the person right next to me.

He grabbed her hand and spoke these words, "Yamanaka Ino, I am so glad to have met someone as gorgeous and fun loving as you. You've changed everything about me, and for that, I thank you. Will you go out to dinner with me next Saturday evening?"

Ino's face was ecstatic and she was jumping around like a maniac not caring what people thought of her.

"OH YES!!!!!! YES YES YES YES YES!!!!! I will go with you on Saturday Sai".

Sai looked happier than ever and gave Ino the bouquet while planting a kiss on her cheek.

Everyone clapped, and I was truly happy to see something good happening so far in my life.

**Author's Note: **Well? What did you think? PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!

Thanks a bunch,

Sweetness.


	46. The Village Hidden in the Rain

**Author's Note: **Are you liking the story so far? Well great! There is so much more to go! We have a long journey together :)

**Chapter 46: The Rain Country**

_"I'm sleeping.......I'm sleeping........ahhh I can't go back to sleep!!!!!"_

Suddenly I heard my nuisance of an alarm clock ring.

I lifted my pillow-haired head up to check the time, it read 7:00 a.m.

_"Ughhhh......just great.....now I have to go for that mission today......"_

I groggily made my bed and headed into the shower. It was warm and soothing. Showers make everything better, you feel more awake that way.

After getting out of the shower, I decided what to do with my crazy thick hair.

After much thought, I put it up into a bun leaving a few strands of pastel pink hair out to frame my face. I must say, it really did look good on me. Next, was the wardrobe. It's always a hassle for me every single morning.

I opened my closet checking for appropriate mission wear. Scanning my collection of clothing usually takes about five minutes. Everything in my closet are things which I either wear in the house or some fancy evening wear. That's when I came across one outfit.

I reached in, pulled it out of the closet, and examined it.

"_Hey, I remember this. Ino got this for me last year on my birthday. I never wore it though, might as well give it a try"._

Like my usual clothing, it was qipao style. This outfit was black with small pink petal designs embroidering the short sleeved shirt. Along with it, was the matching plain black skirt reaching up to my mid thigh. That obviously wasn't enough, I find that wearing something up to the mid thigh is a little too short for my taste. Thankfully, Ino also bought a pair of black spandex leggings which reached up to my knees. The final touch was a pair of pink sleeveless gloves, and of course, my Konoha headband. I ate a small bowl of cereal, put my ninja sandals on, brought my weapons, and headed out.

The weather was warm with a nice, refreshing breeze to go along with it. I walked by a couple shops until I heard someone call my name.

"SAKURA!"

I turned and smiled.

It was Ino dressed in a cute buttoned-down white blouse with a knee-length black skirt to go along with it. Nothing too fancy, but I liked it. Ino sure has great taste in clothing.

"Ino!" I greeted.

She approached me and gave me one of her usual hugs, "Where are you headed off to? Oh yes! You're wearing that outfit I got you! Sakura, you look great, work it baby!"

I blushed in embarrassment as other people passed by the two of us.

"Thank you for this outfit Ino, I like it a lot actually. Who designed this exactly?"

"That would be the work of Kurenai-sensei. She's really talented and has discovered a passion for designing in her free time. Your cousin, Akira helped her a bit even though she's a little wrapped up in her own kid's line of clothes. 'Ko', that is such a unique name! Who would have ever thought of that!?"

I shrugged, "Well that was her dream, and she's finally achieved it just like all of my other cousins have. Anyway, I'm headed off to the Hokage tower for a mission today. What are you doing up so early?"

She sighed, "Sakura…….Sakura…….has the Monday morning blues gotten to you already? We're right in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop which is where I'm working up until about…….."

I waited as she checked her designer watch, "12:30, I will be done around noonish basically. My mom hired a couple of new people to take shifts so basically I have the whole day free!"

I was jealous of her freedom, _"Why must Tsunade make me go on this mission? I'd rather sit home and relax while reading a good book and staying in my PJs for the rest of the day"._

"So how was your date on Saturday? I want to know every single detail" I demanded.

Ino-pig didn't hesitate at all to tell me what happened, "Oh Sakura! It was the most romantic date I have ever been on in my life! The two of us really got to know each other, and we talked about things other than art. I had no idea Sai was also into flowers. I always thought of him as the tough macho guy. He's so sensitive and modest, that's what I really like about him. He's even given me a new nickname!"

"What's that?" I asked while raising a brow.

Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and joy, "Gorgeous………"

"_Should I tell her? Nah……I probably shouldn't……."_

As long as I've known Sai, he's given practically all of Konoha a nickname. He's become more mature about calling me ugly and Naruto a guy without a specific man's part. He stopped making snide and sarcastic remarks to people like Tsunade who he called flat-chested. Looking at how made she was, made me laugh but hearing those comments really aggravated me. I can't stand perverts. Usually when he calls you something, he means the complete opposite. I'd rather see Ino with a smile on her face rather than watching her taking all of her pent up rage on Sai.

"Great" I responded keeping my thoughts to myself.

She continued gushing about Sai, "Oh also, after I get off of work Sai is taking me canoeing in the lake! How sweet is that!? Then afterwards we're going on a picnic and-"

"_Is she going to stop talking about the guy?"_

I was genuinely happy that Ino found someone special, but sometimes I really want to find that same exact happiness that I could also share with her.

"And then he's taking me shopping and spending his money on me and-"

"Ino, I'm glad you're telling me all this but I really have to get going" I said cutting her off.

"Oh, that's fine. Go on ahead, good luck with your mission and I can't wait to tell you everything once you get back".

I smiled and started walking towards the tower, "Bye pig!"

"Bye forehead!" I heard her yell back.

After 5 minutes of walking and greeting the villagers, I walked inside the tower and greeted Tsunade along with my teammates and Ayumu-san.

"Hello everyone!" I greeted.

"Sakura" Tsunade greeted back while smiling.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto beamed while giving me a huge bear hug.

"Ah Sakura-san good to see you" Ayumu-san greeted while bowing his head in respect.

"……."

And who was that you may be asking?

Hayashi Ryo.

"_What is he doing here!? I wish he was sick or something so he wouldn't have to accompany us……."_

As usual, Ryo was standing in the corner of the room not caring if I was here or not. His very presence insulted me".

I decided to ignore that jerk and turned to Tsunade.

"Ok, now that you are all here…….I'm informing the three of you that one by one each of those sacred jewels are being stolen. It is believed that the jewel in the rain country is the next target. I want you three to take Ayumu-san with you so he can consult with the priest over there and you at all costs need to protect this stone, is that clear?"

"Hai" The three of us…….well actually……Naruto and I said.

Tsunade nodded, "Good…..I wish all of you good luck and I hope to see you shortly while I do some further research into this. Now go".

All four of us headed out and began our journey to the rain country. About only five minutes passed and Naruto started his usual complaining.

"When are we going to get there!?"

"Patience Naruto-san, it is fairly close to Konoha actually, I would say that we will reach there in about 40-45 minutes".

Naruto gave him an incredulous look, "What makes you so sure grandpa?"

Ayumu-san grinned, "The Gods of course!"

"Gods Schmods…….." Naruto mumbled.

Everything was still and quiet until Naruto moved closer to me, "Looking good Sakura-chan".

The comment made me blush but I had to control myself and just ignore what he just said.

To my delight, he stopped with those flirtatious remarks and kept quiet.

I faced forward and watched Ryo lead the group. I've developed the sudden curiosity and wanting to get to know him.

"_I haven't asked him about his scouting mission, why not bring that up?"_

I sped up my pace and caught up with him, "Hey Ryo".

Without looking at me, he didn't say a thing.

I started to continue again, "So………..how did your scouting mission go?"

He looked at me like he was going to eat me alive, "Why do you need to know? It's none of your business……."

"_So much for hoping he would open up……"_

I slowed down and decided to walk with Naruto and Ayumu-san. Fourty-five minutes seemed to pass by quickly as we approached the rain country. It was strange, the weather changes from warm and sunny to dark and cloudy, like it was going to rain.

Hence the name **rain** country.

It was very different from Konoha. In the rain village, it was made up of all tall metal buildings reaching up to pretty much the sky! It looked barren and it was eerily quiet. A place where I didn't really want to be right now. It makes me kind of wonder if this is where Ryo came from. I mean he's also barren and cold like this place.

We walked down into the actual city, and there were some people here surprisingly enough. They looked miserable, like they didn't want to be here in a place like this. Well, than again, I wouldn't either if I were forced to live in some dark desolate place.

While strolling further, we came across an older scary-looking man. He was dressed in tattered clothing and only his one small beady eye was opened. He scowled as we passed by. It's not like we did anything to him, so what could his problem be?

"What are YOU lookin at?"

He seemed to be talking to Ayumu-san as he politely answered, "Oh….I was wondering if you were in need of some assistance? Perhaps I can find some shelter for you sir?"

He didn't care if Ayumu-san was giving him the time of day, "Listen old man, if you don't back off……I'm gonna kill you……."

"_What the hell!? What's wrong with this guy! He should be lucky Ayumu-san bothered to even ask him for help!"_

Naruto intervened, "Listen, the old man here was being more than nice to you. I suggest that you quit acting like a jerk and mind your own business!"

"You don't know that's been goin on around here brat! It's miserable……miserable around here……it's like a dungeon……."

He was starting to give me the creeps and we immediately left the scene.

I started paying attention to my surroundings, people were miserable. They can't be too upset about the weather, that can't be the problem can it?

"Sakura-san, Naruto-san, Ryo-san…….there is the shrine on top of that hill!" pointed Ayumu-san.

We headed straight there and knocked on the large doors.

It cracked open slightly revealing a pair of blue eyes, "H-Hello? May I ask who is there?"

"My name is Ayumu priest of the lightening shrine and these are three ninja of Konoha who have accompanied me on this trip: Sakura-san, Naruto-san, and Ryo-san. We have come to give you a warning, please give us a chance to tell you".

The man opened the door fully and revealed himself. Unlike Ayumu-san, this man had a full head of grown white hair along with a matching-colored beard to go with it. His robe was of the same design except he wore the color blue along with a medallion with the symbol of a raindrop imprinted in the middle.

"Please come in".

He let us in and I couldn't help staring at the beautiful decorations adorning the room. It reminded me a lot the shrine in the lightening country with the same style sofas and of course in the center of the room was the stone encased with the very jewel we were sent here to protect.

The man bowed to us, "I'm sorry I didn't really let you in before, I thought it may have been someone else………..my name is Sasaki Genkei, priest of the rain village shrine. Now tell me, what brings you here all the way to a place like this?"

"I was given news that your jewel is the next target?"

Genkei-san was taken aback, "Next target!?"

Ayumu-san nodded, "Yes……just like how the lightening and wind stones have been stolen. We were sent here to warn you and also prevent this from happening".

Genkei-san seemed like he didn't want to hear anymore of it, "P-Please….you must leave this place immediately".

I raised a brow, "Why?"

"If the head of this village comes here and finds the four of you, all of us will be doomed, there are no visitors whatsoever allowed. Missions of all kinds have been prohibited from Amekagure. I beg of you for all of our sakes, leave!"

"That's just a bunch of bologna………..this guy is obviously going senile".

"Naruto!?" I hissed.

Genkei-san glared at the said idiot, "It's something serious. You now must heed my warning".

"Why don't you answer my question, why do we have to leave? Doesn't the amekage mind if we're here?"

"That's the problem, the amekage is no longer here".

That was pretty shocking to hear.

"What do you mean the amekage isn't here?" I inquired.

"There hasn't been an amekage for decades. We have been under the leadership of a group called the Akatsuki. It's a criminal organization group whose intentions I am not aware of. They destroyed this place…..Amegakure used to be a prosperous small nation until it was used as a battlefield. As wars went on, the Akatsuki used this as an advantage to take complete control and call it their own. They monitor every single thing the local citizen does. As you could tell I'm sure, no one is happy here. They make their citizens their own personal slaves. No one has actually seen any one person of the group. One of the old farmers told me he once saw a man wearing a long black trench coat with red cloud patterns. 50 years under their rule has made everything unbearable to live…….."

"What else about the history Genkei-san?" Ayumu-san urged.

He led us to the sitting area and we continued our discussion there, "The main founder was Uchiha Madara. He was power hungry enough to create his own organization. After his defection from Konoha, Madara hoped to train and gain more power in this way. He met another man named Nagato who later changed his name to Pain. He too wanted power but as selfish as Madara was, he killed him. Pain's lover Konan was not able to overcome her grief and sadness, and she was made Madara's personal slave until she couldn't take it anymore and finally joined Nagato. It was said that Madara and the Hokage of the time, Hashirama Senju, fought a battle which supposedly caused Madara's death. On the night of the Kyuubi's attack it was said that he was the one who summoned the fox. That is all of the information I can give you, I wish I was of more help".

"No that is quite alright Genkei-san, that information was very resourceful. Well we need to stay here for a few days to make sure that this jewel is not the next target. You and your jewel will be safe, trust me".

Ayumu-san just had that personality where at first glance, you could trust him. I have a feeling that Genkei-san will do the same.

**Author's Note: **tell me tell me tell me!!!!! What did you think! I need more reviewers please, not just the same people. Even though I'm glad I have some loyal fans.

Also another question added to my little questionnaire: Do you guys like the way I am portraying each of the characters? Are there any which you think may be spot on or need a little work on developing?

How exactly would you describe Sakura's personality in this story? Is she anything like she is in the anime/manga?

Anyway thanks a whole lot!

Sweetness.


	47. Suprise Twist

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the chapters I have posted so far. Just a heads up, I will be updating every Sunday or sometime over the weekends because my first day of school is on Tuesday and orientation is Monday. Just keep on the look out for that. Also, I now have 100 reviews! Didn't think I'd get this far thanks to Kaamen my 100th reviewer, by the way I don't have cookies. Go check with the cookie monster. I know a little bit random, anyway, enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter 47: Surprise Twist**

It's been a couple days since our arrival to the rain country. How can someone possibly live life in this dark and dreary place? I'm only here temporarily, and I can tell you right now that I am downright miserable!

Genkei-san was generous enough to let us stay in the shrine; it's actually the safest spot around here anyway.

I'm standing here staring at the jewel alone in the room. Genkei-san and Ayumu-san went outside for a little bit praying to their Gods, Naruto is still asleep, and Ryo.......disappeared hours ago. He's a very independent guy who never likes to tell anyone what he's up to.

Just standing here and looking at it completely enthralled me. The shape was fairly simple, it looked like an egg. A plain light blue egg with golden curvaceous, fluid silhouettes patterned all around. I was entirely entranced until Naruto half scared me to death.

"NARUTO YOU BAKA!!!!" I yelled while hitting his head causing him to crash into one of the pillars. Thankfully most of the damage was directed towards Naruto and not the pillar.

"Ouch……Sakura-chan.....you didn't have to do _that_. I just snuck up on you quietly and randomly appeared right in front of your face" he complained while rubbing the enormous bump I gave him on the head.

Putting my hands on my hips, I approached him, "Naruto……you're 21 years old! How many times do I have to tell you to stop acting like such an immature child! You could have scared me into bumping into that case resulting in a broken jewel, ostracizing us from the rain country forever!

As usual Naruto brushed my comment off like it was nothing. Instead he headed back to the sitting area to get changed, "yeah……yeah Sakura-chan".

"_Sometimes he can be such a bother"_

Speaking of bother, my stomach was growling and my instincts were telling me that I needed food fast.

"Naruto, I'm going out for food!" I called to the other room while opening the front doors.

"Food!? Wait Sakura-chan, I'm coming with you!"

He is such a mess in the mornings. Naruto's hair was unkempt and his clothes were half undone. He still had his PJ top on while wearing his pink boxers and his pants up to his knees.

I sighed at his foolishness, "Hurry if you want to come with me".

He grinned and finished getting dressed in about a span of five minutes, he joined me, and the two of us headed out the large doors.

The sky didn't even clear up after two days!

"_What's wrong with this place!?"_

Ayumu-san seemed to catch sight of the two of us as we approached both him and Genkei-san, "Ah, Good morning Sakura-san……Naruto-san".

"Good morning" we both replied.

"So whatcha up to gramps?" asked Naruto.

Ayumu-san stood up after meditating, "Oh, Genkei-san and I were meditating to have a stronger connection with the divine beings up in the heavens. Say……where is Ryo-san?"

I got into the conversation, "He must have left to do something earlier this morning".

"I see……." He said.

Genkei-san finished his meditation and joined the three of us, "Good morning everyone!"

"Morning" we answered.

"Well it's been a couple days since we've been here, and no one has even attempted to take this jewel. Why don't we leave gramps?" suggested Naruto.

You know for once, I agree with him.

Ayumu-san's mouth opened, indicating to us that he was going to answer until Genkei-san cut in, "Wait! Please don't leave me along here! You are all such great company. Plus, what am I going to do if the perpetrator comes and takes the jewel!? I can't defend it, I can't even defend myself! I need your assistance. Please I beg of you!"

"_Ughhh!!!! Why do you have to be like this!?"_

Naruto and I looked to Ayumu-san to have to final say, "Well……Genkei-san is right…..why don't we stay here for a little bit longer. During this time, you can train together and build up your strength".

"WHAT!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS DUMP! THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING TO STAY HERE! IT'S DEPRESSING AND THEY HAVE ABSOLUTLEY NO RAMEN! I MPHHHHH"

I put my hand over Naruto's mouth to quiet him down, "We'd be happy to accompany you for a little longer Genkei-san. Naruto and I will continue training right away…….isn't that right Naruto?"

He removed my hand and forcefully agreed, "Yeah sure……..whatever……"

Genkei-san was delighted, "Good, then it's settled…….the two of you can-"

He ceased his blabbering when all of us directed our attention to the deafening sound all the way on the other side of the city.

"What was that!?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

I continued to stare at that specific direction, "I don't know……but we're going to find out".

Naruto and I ran back into the shrine retrieving our ninja gear. We were about to run down the hill into the city until Genkei-san stopped us, "Wait, if you two are going what about Ayumu-san and I?"

"Stay here obviously! Don't worry, good old gramps will take care of you!" Informed Naruto.

"Stay safe" I told them.

And without another word Naruto and I sped up to see what was happening. On the way, we spotted many of the citizens unconscious and some who were trying to find a safe spot.

One woman was carrying her infant child, I stopped her and asked what was going on, "Excuse me ma'am. What's happening here?"

She was panting from carrying the extra weight of her child, "I-I don't know…..one minute I'm walking around to run a couple of errands and the next thing you know BOOM you hear this explosion. I can't really tell what's going on because of the black smoke around the area, it hasn't cleared up yet. I need to find a place where my baby will be safe".

"Thanks…..and go all the way up to the hill where the shrine is, that's the safest spot around here. If you find anyone else looking for some shelter, tell them also".

She bid me thanks and went off. The woman was right; the smoke was too hazy and dark to see anything. Suddenly, I lost sight of Naruto.

"Naruto!" I called for him.

There was no sound, I was completely isolated.

"_What's going on here?"_

I was trapped in the haze for 10 minutes already, and it still stayed the same.

"Naruto!"

"Sakura-chan?"

"_Finally! He can hear me!"_

"Naruto where are you!?"

"I…..I don't know Sakura-chan! This smoke keeps getting thicker and thicker by the second.

The fog changed color and became red. I'm not sure if my vision was playing tricks on me because of the fog, but I could have sworn that I spotted a couple of figures not too far away from me.

I moved walked around and got myself lost. I was completely isolated; there was no sign of Naruto.

"_How the hell do I get out of here!?"_

Using all types of techniques wouldn't help at all.

"_This isn't normal…….could it be a genjutsu?"_

Suddenly I spotted a shuriken heading my way. As it came toward me, I started to notice that this was abnormally large. While coming closer towards my face, there were two more shuriken appearing out of thin air.

"_What……how in the world is this happening?"_

I couldn't help myself but move closer to the flying object. I wasn't able to control my body.

"_Why can't I move!?"_

As each second passed, my feet kept walking and my mind kept telling my body to stop.

It was at that moment when I realized this was the shadow shuriken technique, I've seen Naruto use it before.

But that didn't matter right now, I was about to be cut into pieces!

"Sakura, that's not a genjutsu!" I heard someone yell.

"_Who is that?"_

I still kept moving towards the flying object, until someone appeared in front of my frightened self and took the hit for me.

"Ryo!"

**Author's Note: **review please! Like I said I will be updating every weekend, most likely on Sundays. School has started but I shall keep writing if you guys keep on reading and reviewing!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	48. Chance

**Author's Note:** Hey! Its Labor Day weekend! My first week of school was absolutely great, my teachers are amazing and my classes seem interesting. I think junior year is going to go pretty well for me. Now, I may be able to get another chapter on this weekend. Don't be too sure though, I received a lot of homework. If I finish earlier than expected and if I'm not invited to some dinner or something, then I will be able to write another one. Without further ado, please enjoy!

**Chapter 48: Chance **

"RYO!" I yelled, shocked about what just happened in front of me.

Without even thinking, my legs took me over to his unconscious body processing this recent event in my brain.

Suddenly the thick red fog cleared, and that was when I finally saw Naruto after all this time.

"Naruto!"

He turned his blonde head in the direction of my voice, "Sakura-chan? There you are!"

A smile failed to appear on my face after watching Ryo risking his life for me, "Naruto, please…….I need your help! Come here quick!"

Without hesitation, he came to the scene and also examined Ryo's wound.

"I'm no doctor, but it's pretty deep…..I don't know what's going to become of him any longer".

Dismissing Naruto's talk of nonsense, I used the small amount of chakra I had left to sustain anymore blood from leaking.

"_What can I use to cover Ryo's wound?"_

Scanning the area, I found Naruto wearing some gauze around both sides of his sleeveless shirt.

"Naruto, do you mind if I use your gauze to cover his wound?"

"Sure Sakura-chan" he said while unwrapping both sides and handing them to me.

I took them and carefully kept Ryo's chest area stable while covering everything.

"There, that should do it. Naruto, do you think you could carry him back to the shrine while I hold all of the first aid supplies?"

He did as I said and threw Ryo over his shoulders.

"_Wow……Naruto sure wasn't kidding when he said he was working out"._

I blushed while he of course grinned and flexed his muscles, most likely trying to show off to me.

"_Ughhh……he can be so cocky sometimes……..although…….he really does look good like that!"_

Immediately I tried focusing my mind on something else while traveling back to the shrine.

That's when I thought of the smoke.

"_I had no idea fog could change color……….but……..it wasn't something normal I know for sure. Who or what exactly were those two figures I could vaguely make out? This entire thing is even hazing my mind……."_

Soon, we arrived finding a small number of amegakure citizens chatting with Genkei-san and Ayumu-san. The two priests immediately ran towards Naruto and I after witnessing Ryo's condition.

"What happened here?" asked Ayumu-san.

Naruto set Ryo down on the grass and we all took a seat on the ground telling him about this whole situation.

"There was this strange fog coming from absolutely nowhere then it turned red, then I found some strange weapon coming towards me. I wasn't able to dodge it, my legs were forcing me to move closer until Ryo came and took the hit for me" I informed him and Genkei-san.

Genkei-san moved closer towards Ryo's unconscious body and mumbled some completely incoherent words. They sounded like chants, probably of some ancient language of the amegakure people in the old days.

"What are you doing old man?" questioned Naruto.

Opening his eyes with an irritated look, he answered Naruto's question, "I am trying a healing spell on this young man. He was wounded pretty badly, and I was hoping maybe the Gods would help".

And with that, Naruto stood up, "Listen you old geezer! This 'divine beings' crap is not going to help him in his current condition! Don't you have any common sense!?"

And Naruto is asking that question? I beg to differ.

He continued, "Ryo needs to be taken to something you've probably never even heard of, it's called a _hospital_, get it?"

Ayumu-san stepped in, "Naruto-san…..please respect what Genkei-san is trying to do. You may not understand because amegakure remains the way it was hundreds of years ago".

He then turned to Genkei-san, "Genkei-san, Naruto-san is also right. It is modern times now, and we need professional help. I think our time here is done. We need to take Ryo-san back to Konoha. Naruto-san…..Sakura-san, why don't we take our leave?"

"W-Wait……what am I supposed to do here all along with all these people? What about that huge explosion!? That could be a threat Ayumu-san!"

It was a hard choice to make, I was curious to see what Ayumu-san had to say.

"You have fellow citizens you know very well living on the border of amegakure and Konoha am I right?"

"Y-Yes….." he muttered.

"When you are in need of aid, send those people into Konoha to report the hokage of the news. You will be safe. If these people need to stay somewhere, send them one by one off to Konoha".

He nodded in assurance and seemed to have faith in Ayumu-san at this point.

We packed our things and left for Konoha.

Since everything was monitored, we had to make sure to sneak out individually. Even with Ayumu-san's old age, he was stealthy enough to leave this strange land.

No one said a word worried about Ryo's condition. I know he's a jerk, but he saved me……doesn't that mean something?

Before I knew it, we arrived back home and wasted no time in rushing Ryo over to Konoha hospital.

We entered the building and demanded a room saying explaining his well-being.

The nurses brought a patient cart and wheeled Ryo over to one of the rooms at the end of the plain white hallway. Doctors and surgeons rushed over in that very direction while informing the three of us that we were not allowed in.

Tsunade seemed to know that the four of us were back when she came in and asked why were back to early.

"I think the rain country was ambushed granny" hypothesized Naruto.

"Ambushed!? What in the world happened over there!? Did the amekage do anything about this?"

I decided to answer her urgent questions, "Lady Tsunade, we heard some loud explosion and Naruto and I rushed to see what happened. There was this fog that came out of nowhere……it was black and then it turned red. Naruto and I couldn't even see each other, then I had this feeling that a couple of people were close by. I had no idea this shadow shuriken was flying towards me, and when I realized it, I had absolutely no control of my body as it walked towards that direction. I couldn't stop myself until Ryo risked his life for me. Also…….all these years there hasn't been amekage".

"What! How can that be possible? What became of this place without a leader?"

Ayumu-san took over for me, "Tsunade-san, the last amekage was overthrown and killed by Uchiha Madara who later established a group of ninja assassins called the Akatsuki. They constantly surveillance and monitor the daily lives of their citizens. They are treated as slaves and are completely unhappy there".

That seemed like it was a lot for Tsunade to take in as she gulped down her sake.

"Thank you for telling me this. Did anyone at least try to attempt stealing the jewel?"

"No" the three of us replied.

"Did you find out about any more thefts in the other villages Tsunade baa-saan?" Naruto brought back up.

"No…..I did not…….this is something I have never even dealt with before. Things have not been that great either for me while you were gone. I've been under so much stress lately…….I can't take it anymore…….speaking of that, I need to go back and finish up that large pile of paper work Shizune has been nagging me to. Ayumu-san, since I have no idea when this mystery will be solved, you are free to stay here in Konoha as long as you like".

"Thank you Tsunade-san" he said bowing out of respect.

"No…….thank you Ayumu-san" she said while leaving the hospital.

The three of us were just overwhelmed by this entire mission, and looking out window, the sun was setting and I was getting tired.

I spotted Naruto getting out of his seat, "Sakura-chan……..gramps……I think I'm going to get some rest……..it's been a long day".

I smiled and nodded, "Go ahead Naruto, I'll see you later".

"Good bye Naruto-san".

He waved the two of us goodbye and left for the day.

Sitting here waiting around was so boring, I looked over at Ayumu-san and noticed his face growing weary.

"Ayumu-san?"

He seemed to be in a daze until I snapped him out of it, "Yes Sakura-san?"

"You look worried……" I pointed out.

"Oh……well…….it's just……I feel like a failure to my family line and the Gods. It was my duty to protect the sacred jewel, and because of my mistake……it is now in the hands of someone else….."

I nodded and put my hand on his shoulder, "Please Ayumu-san…….don't beat yourself up over this. It wasn't your fault. It just happened to be that you left the room and the jewel was stolen. I know that it's sacred and important, but please don't think too much about it. I assure you Naruto and I will do whatever it takes to return the jewel of heavens to its rightful place".

He sighed, "I guess you're right……….you know Sakura-san…….you are a very different person".

I looked up at him with an inquiring look, "Is different a good thing?"

He chuckled, "I spent my whole life living in the shrine performing prayers and chants to the Gods. It was a duty……..but other than that, I never got much out of my life. As a child, I did not have the time to develop friendships and relationships in my life. That is something I do regret. The missions with you and Naruto-san have changed me whether you think so or not. I see the relationship between the two of you, and I become envious. It is something which will last even for a lifetime. I notice how closely-knitted you are with everyone…….such strong bonds I've been wishing to develop but never had the chance to".

Listening to his story made me upset. I could see the sadness in Ayumu-san's dark eyes.

"_This man deserves so much more than this. He can't be alone……now that he's here in Konoha…..I'll convince him to stay longer and finally have that chance to develop stronger bonds with everyone"._

I grabbed his hand and met his eyes with a smile, "Ayumu-san…….now you will finally get that chance".

His small eyes sparkled and he cracked a smiled. That's when I noticed the dark bags under his eyes from the shine of the setting sun.

"Ayumu-san, maybe you should go and get some rest. You look like you really need it".

"What about Ryo-san? Shouldn't anyone be here for him?" he asked concerned.

I sighed, "I think I'll stay here, please go on ahead".

He nodded, bided me good bye, and left.

There I was left alone. I was completely worn out and exhausted, but I decided to stay here for Ryo.

I stayed in the same spot for a while just dozing off and pondering about random things until one of the nurses came up to me.

"Sakura-san, Ryo-san is okay. It was deep, but we were able to stick the wound back together. If you like, you may go and see him. Just make sure you don't make too much noise, he's asleep".

I nodded and followed her down the hallway. We both arrived in the room. It was small with one bed close to the open window letting me get a good view of the multi-colored sky. The light radiated from the setting sun made Ryo look almost like angel. I was completely awestruck by his beauty. Looking at him sleeping made Ryo look almost helpless. I felt guilty about what happened today.

After observing the room, I took a seat right in front of his face and sat there for a while admiring him like this.

His dark charcoal eyes were hidden behind his lids covered with long eyelashes on top. Ryo's dark raven hair was messy from lying in bed for a while, and the rest of his body layered with large thick white blankets.

Watching him sleep made my eyelids a little droopy.

After the sun set, the sky became dark and so did my world.

**Author's Note: **Here was your little treat after this long school week, I hope you all liked this chapter there are definitely more to come. Like I said, I may or may not update this weekend depending on my homework load or whatever else I may be doing. Regardless, you will get the next chapter soon.

Thanks to all of my loyal reviewers, I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys.

Sweetness.


	49. Confession

**Author's Note: **hey everyone! How did your school week go? I want to know what's been going on in your lives. I am just trying to survive junior year, well so far it's going well. Nothing interesting has happened yet, but I will let you know when something happens. Now I will continue on with this next chapter, I hope you guys like it!

**Chapter 49: Confession**

"Sakura-san…"

"_Who could possible be bothering me? Maybe it's just a dream and if I stay still, they'll go away"._

"Sakura-san?"

"_What the hell, they're still here!? Let me give them a piece of my mind!"_

Snapping my eyes open, I ended up greeting the nurse with a glare.

Embarrassed of my behavior, I blushed and immediately turned my frown totally upside down.

Yes, I can't believe I just said that.

She bowed to me respectfully probably afraid that I was going to send her flying out the window.

I could never do that to Mika! She was my buddy in the third grade. We usually see each other at work, but otherwise, Mika spends her time doing lots of volunteer work. She decided that being a ninja was a little too much for her, so she quit and pursued other things. Tsunade acknowledged Mika's success after graduating nursing school and hooked her up with a job as one of the head nurses of the Konoha hospital. She is a completely changed person. I remember as my friend in elementary school, she was very outgoing and popular. Her looks could make any guy weak in the knees. Now she's turned into this very self-conscious and timid person. You would think that as a person grows they become more outgoing, not reverting back into the stage of a shy little child.

"Mika, I thought we've been over this. Please don't bow to me! We've known each other since the third grade; I am not your superior".

As sweet of a person she is, Mika told me otherwise.

"Sakura-san, you are obviously Tsunade-san's-"

I cut her off, "BUT, I'm not Tsunade-san herself. Just because I've been her pupil for so long, it doesn't mean that I want to be treated any different. Never address me as Sakura-san again. Just call me Sakura".

"Sakura…" She repeated.

She must have been processing what I just said in her head while twisting her dark blonde hair around.

"Sakura-san……your name just doesn't sound right without the 'san' attached at the end".

I grinned, "That's because you're not used to it yet. Give it some time".

She nodded, "Okay…..well…….Sakura, I am really sorry to have disturbed you but I think Hinata was looking for you".

That definitely caught my attention, "Hinata? Where is she?"

"Um……I think she may have gone back to the Hyuuga complex. She just wanted to see you that's all".

I instantaneously got out of my chair and headed out of the room until I looked back to the bed.

He was still sleeping in the same position I found him in yesterday.

"Mika, how is Ryo doing?" I asked while holding the doorknob eager to see my friend.

Mika looked in my direction, "Oh…..he is a lot better. Tsunade-san snuck in here early in the morning to check on Ryo's condition. It's amazing, his body was able to heal in what's just been 24 hours. I think she said he'll be up in about a couple hours. You can come back then if you like".

I smiled after hearing the good news, "I sure will. By the way thanks a lot Mika! I'll see you later!"

She waved and I shut the door behind me.

While running, my stomach growled and I felt really dirty.

"_Maybe I should run home and get some breakfast……..oh and a shower would be nice too……"_

As usual, the weather in Konoha was nice and pleasant. There was no need to rush but I was too eager to see Hinata. We hadn't really spoken to each other for a while.

I opened the wooden door to my house and spotted my mother starting her day with a piece of toast and butter.

"Saku! I missed you so much! How was the mission!?" she excitedly asked while running over to give me a hug.

"Hey mom, I'm fine, just a little hungry that's all…."

She pulled back and stroked my hair, "You must be hungry, want me to make you something?"

I nodded, "No thanks mom, I actually have to be somewhere so I'm just going to have a small bowl of cereal".

Putting her hands on her hips she stopped me as I poured the cereal into a small bowl, "Oh and where are you off to young lady?"

"_That's mom for you…..always trying to know what exactly I'm up to"._

I sighed getting ready to explain myself, "Off to see Hinata. I haven't heard from her in a while".

The excited expression faded from mother's face, replacing it with what looks like almost a hurt one.

"Oh………I was just hoping we could spend the day together. I figured we could have some sort of a girl's day out you know? But since you're going to see Hinata….."

I felt a tinge of guilt spreading all over my body, "Oh mom, well I actually wanted to see Hinata for a couple of hours and then spend the whole evening with you. This can be a girl's night out, that's even better. We can watch all of the chick flicks we haven't seen since you bought them a couple months ago".

The excited expression reappeared on her face, "Alright! Now I'm really looking forward to this evening".

I looked around the house noticing it was pretty empty, other than the two of us, "Where are dad, Shin, and Wataru?"

Mother walked over to the family room while I followed suit, "Dad is actually over at the tea country for a conference with the other ANBU squads of the other villages. Shin is helping Gai and Rock Lee with the young ninja 'youthful' camp and Wataru actually has a big exam coming up in a few days so he's studying for that upstairs and in the evening he's spending the night with Raidon. I decided to give him a little treat for studying so hard".

"That's nice…….wait how exactly did Shin end up supervising the 'youthful' camp with Gai-sensei and Lee out of all people?"

Mom chuckled at the thought, "Those two had to do a lot of persuasion".

I smirked thinking of Shin wearing one of those hideous green spandex suits, "How exactly did they persuade him?"

"Money and free ramen" she stated.

As Shin and I grew up together, like Naruto, he has also taken a liking to ramen. You can't really blame the guy, ramen is delicious. Especially if you go to a place like the Ichiraku Ramen Noodle Shop. People come from far and wide to taste the ramen here in Konoha, and they leave the village completely satisfied. Although ramen is very popular, nobody is as obsessed as Naruto. It kind of interests me as to why Gai-sensei would also pick Shin to help out with these kinds of things. He's been training in the young adult ANBU preliminary squad.

"Well I'm going to take a shower to get ready and go. Then I'll come back and we can eat popcorn and watch a bunch of chick flicks! Are you sure you won't get bored while I'm gone?"

"Actually I am going to visit your grandmother Haruna and both aunt Ryoko and Shiemi will be there, so I won't be bored. I'll see you tonight okay?"

"Alrighty!" I said while running up the stairs.

I hurried into the bathroom and took a shower for 10 minutes. Let me tell you, ten minutes is definitely a new record for me, I usually take half an hour which isn't something to be very proud of.

After drying my hair, I opened my closet doors and searched for an appropriate outfit.

"_Why does this always have to be such a problem?" _ I inwardly complained.

I decided on wearing one of my simple green kimonos with pink petals embellishing the entire outfit. My cherry-colored hair was left open, and I had no intention of applying any make up, I never do.

Why am I getting so "fancied up" for seeing Hinata? The Hyuuga clan is well-respected, wealthy, and very well-dressed. Honestly, it's like when you enter the compound, they make you look like a peasant. No offense to peasants or anything, but I just thought it would be nice to dress very simple but also elegant.

I brushed out my hair, and admired it. Blow drying can do wonders. After the age of 18, I decided to grow it out a little longer. Not too long that it just gets in the way like when I was 12, but an inch or so past my shoulders.

I left my room after getting changed and went into the hallway. I spotted one door open and heard a pencil scribbling on what sounded like a piece of paper.

I knocked on the door and heard a 'come in'.

"Hey kiddo" I greeted while sitting on Wataru's bed.

"Sakura…..can't you just leave right now? I'm busy studying".

"_Jeez…..what is it with these crazy 11 year olds? Wataru is the only one who never addresses me as 'nii-san' unlike the other kids. I don't mind though, we're pretty close anyways….."_

"I just wanted to see what you were up to, got a problem with that?"

He didn't answer as he seemed to be focusing on one of the questions on his study guide.

I eyed him for a while thinking about his growth over these past few years. Wataru of course can be very immature, but once he hits the books, he won't leave his room for what seems like hours to get good grades on his tests. He's starting to look a lot like both Shin and my dad. Wataru has very silky medium brown hair and inherited those same piercing blue eyes from my father. His skin is slightly tanned and the one thing I absolutely love about him is the constant smile adorning his face. He reminds me a lot of Naruto and Konohamaru, I know scary isn't it?

"Need any help?" I offered.

He studied the question a little longer and turned to me, "Yeah….."

I smiled and sat next to him studying the question. It read:

**Which countries were involved in the first Shinobi world war? You need to be able to include the generals and which predominant techniques and jutsus were used.**

"_I remember this! Looks like my studying actually paid off!"_

"Wataru, you are a very smart kid. I want you to figure this out for yourself. I feel like if I just tell you, you won't learn anything".

"Where am I going to find the answer genius?" he asked sarcastically.

"Why you little……"

Then I realized I really needed to control myself. I looked on the other side of the room and found one of his history books.

"Here's your history book. Look in the index and read carefully".

He took the book from me, flipped through the pages, and read.

"Wow…..surprisingly, you were right!"

Ignoring his comment I ruffled his hair, "See where common sense can get you? Good luck with the rest of your studying and have fun at Raidon's tonight!"

He sat still on his bed and studied my attire, "Why are you dressed so formally? Where are you going?"

"Hinata's" I plainly answered.

"The Hyuuga place? They're like filthy stinkin rich! You're so lucky to have a friend like that!"

I rolled my eyes at his behavior, "It's not the money that matters, its how well the friend treats you".

He shrugged and went back to studying while I left for the Hyuuga household.

Usually I never like to dress up although this current outfit I'm wearing isn't fancy at all. For some reason, I felt like a woman! It was great!

I walked around the village greeting everyone until I turned one direction and arrived into this large isolated area.

It was hard to believe the Hyuugas owned this large estate. There were nothing but trees surrounding the whole area, and beautiful gardens were planted all around. After snapping myself out of my entrancement, I approached the entrance and knocked on the tall wooden doors.

It cracked open and whoever answered it asked, "Hello?"

I couldn't see the person so I decided on continuing to speak, hoping they would let me in.

"Hi there. I'm Haruno Sakura, a friend of Hinata's. She was apparently looking for me today so I came to stop by and see her. Is she here?"

The door opened fully revealing an elderly woman. She was indeed short wearing a plain gray robe. The woman's hair was short and dark gray tied up into a bun and her eyes were small and beady but deep inside those dull green irises showed that she was an affectionate and a loving old woman.

"Good afternoon Gin-san".

"Good afternoon Sakura-san" she greeted while bowing to me.

It was getting a little frustrating to see people bowing and calling me 'san'.

"Gin-san, please no formalities. Just call me Sakura, I'm only Hinata's friend".

She smiled warmly, "Ah but a very special friend to Hina-chan. Speaking of which, she is in fact home today. Hinata-chan should be in her room like she always is".

"Thank you" I said while entering the building.

Although I've been here before, the Hyuuga compound ceases to amaze me. It always looks like one of those fancy banquet halls with the white marble floors. The neutral-colored walls decorated with golden-framed portraits of the ancestors of clan. Then the long steps arching in the opposite directions, made it almost look like a palace!

The compound was completely empty, all except for Hinata and Gin of course. Her father, Hyuuga Hayashi, is usually never around for her. He's always out talking to the Hyuuga elders probably talking about some nonsense politics. Neji is either usually out training or of course with, his first priority, Tenten. I can't really blame him though, the guy is head over heels for her. Although those two may not admit it or not, they are absolutely in love. I know for a fact that Hinata has a sister, Hanabi. The two are not very close and she's out trying to be a rebel against her father. Unfortunately, Hina's mother passed away when she was born which is why Gin is in her life now. She was never part of the Hyuuga clan but for some reason, grew attached to Hinata after seeing her one day while Hayashi took her to a meeting with the elders. Hayashi discovered Gin's abilities to cook, clean, and do all sorts of house work which the Hyuuga head thinks is 'appropriate' for women. Gin became the nanny and Hinata has been so close with her, and I am really happy to see that.

I walked up the stairs, approached her room, and knocked on the door.

"Come in" I heard a muffled voice say.

I entered the lilac room silently.

"Hello?" she asked again while her dark head still lay smothered in the white silk pillows.

"Hina?"

She must have recognized my voice and immediately jumped from her purple bed and literally squeezed me to death.

"Ah….H-Hi-n-a-"

"Oh sorry!" she apologized as she stepped away from me to give me some breathing room.

"Sakura I missed you so much!"

I smiled, "I did too…….how have you been since I last saw you?"

Her countenance wavered into a solemn one, "Umm….t-things have…..b-been okay…….."

"_She's obviously lying to me"._

Those large opal eyes of hers told me everything. I sat down on her bed and signaled for her to come join me.

"Hinata, I've been noticing that before I left for my mission I really didn't even get to see you that much. Even when our whole group of friends would have get togethers, you would never show up. You didn't come to Sai's exhibition.

For some reason, she started acting like a completely different person.

She was trembling and looked so vulnerable like this.

"S-Sak-kura…….I-I'm…..so sorry that I just left you like that there back by the lake a couple months ago. I don't know what came over me. I still don't know what's wrong with me……."

It was then when I took a good look at her. Hinata developed prominent black circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep. From her face, I could tell that she lost a lot of weight and her hair was an absolute mess.

"Hinata-chan! Sakura-chan!"

We turned our heads into the direction of the voice and spotted Gin-san who came into the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt girls, but lunch is ready".

We nodded and followed Gin down the steps and into the kitchen. Hinata and I seated ourselves over at the round table in the center and waited for Gin to arrive with the pot filled with fresh food. She set it down in the middle of the table and I went to retrieve the plates and glasses for water along with the utensils. The beef was so tender and delicious along with the fried rice. We finished, helped Gin to wash the dishes, and sat down in the family room to talk. Well….it was mostly Gin and I doing all of the talking. Hinata was just sitting in one of the chairs in the corner of the room not saying a word. Gin finally spoke to her.

"Hinata-chan…..do you think you could tend to the rose garden and feed the fish in the pond for me?"

She nodded, went on her way outside, and shut the door.

That's when I asked Gin-san what was going on, "Gin-san, why is there this sudden change in Hinata?"

Suddenly she started to tear up, "I….I don't know Sakura-chan. Hinata has been like this for a couple months now. She for some reason stopped talking to the rest of her family, she refuses to tell me anything, she won't go out with her friends, she stopped training, and she really doesn't eat that much. Didn't you notice how much she had on her plate?"

I nodded, "Oh I sure did Gin-san, you can tell from Hinata's face that she's lost so much weight. So what does she do if she doesn't train or spend time with anyone?"

She sighed, frustrated about what was going on.

"She just spends her whole day sulking in her room. She rarely comes out, only if it's time to eat or if I need her to help me with any chores. I tried talking to her father about it, but he just seems to be wrapped up into all of the 'politics' going on in the relations with all of the other clans. Sakura…I don't know what to do anymore. It's something which can't be forced. She has to come and tell me herself, but she just won't. I don't know what's gotten into her. Neji is hardly ever home now that he's with Tenten. I feel like all of Konoha has forgotten about her".

"Gin-san, no one has forgotten about Hinata. Ino, Tenten, Temari, and I have called her many times but she doesn't pick up her phone. When I went up and saw her earlier this morning in her room. All she said was 'I don't know what's wrong with me and I'm sorry for leaving you there a couple months ago'. I do know for a fact early this morning she came to see me but I fell asleep in the hospital, so maybe she was trying to tell me something but for some reason couldn't get it off of her chest. Did she just one day randomly start doing these things, I mean what happened?"

"A couple months ago, I think when Hinata last saw you, she came back home that evening looking completely devastated. She could barely walk, it's like the life was taken out from her".

The door opened, interrupting our conversation.

"I'm finished tending to the rose garden and feeding the fish Gin-san" she said while going up to her room.

"Maybe I'll go and check on her" I stated while standing up.

Gin had this glum look on her face. I held her hand and made direct eye contact, "Gin-san don't worry, I will get this fixed sooner or later. Trust me".

She nodded and I went upstairs and entered Hinata's room. There she was lying like a stone on her bed, she looked miserable. I couldn't bear to watch her like this, and decided to directly ask what was going on.

"Hina, please tell me what's bothering you?"

Surprisingly, she cut to the chase.

"Sakura…….d-do…..y-you….still love him?"

"_Where is she getting at with this?"_

"Who?"

She slowly opened her mouth as more tears slid down her flushed cheeks, "N-Na…r-r….."

Then I figured out what she was trying to say. Hinata couldn't even say his name, she started crying afterwards.

Watching her cry was making me cry, but I had to stay strong for her.

"You mean Naruto?"

She nodded while brushing her tears away.

I smiled, "Of course I do".

At that moment, her sadness was completely ineffable. That was until I continued to answer her question.

"Like a brother".

Her crying ceased and she gave me a shocked look, "W-What!? S-Sakura…I meant are you _in _love with him?"

There was no way I could tell her the truth, I still harbored feelings for him whether I liked it or not.

"No…….I told Naruto that I was not the right person for him".

I decided not to tell her ay details about him begging for us to be together. It would have made her feel even worse about herself.

"Why did you do that Sakura!? You are ruining everything for yourself. You are causing yourself so much pain-"

I had to draw the line and tell her, "_I'm _the one causing myself so much pain!? Look at yourself Hinata, just look at yourself! You've completely shut yourself away from everyone else. You're not yourself anymore. What's gotten into you!? What you did that day a couple months ago was a mistake. Stop being so selfless, you need to care about your wellbeing also. You are never going to be happy if you remain like this for the rest of your life! Look at Gin-san, she's worried sick about you! I'm worried about what's going to become of you Hinata! You don't understand what your pain is doing to the rest of us!"

She couldn't say anything but stay seated with her arms in her lap looking down at the floor.

She broke down and I was there to comfort her.

"S-Sakura…….I'm sorry for doing this……the reason is…….."

I looked at her, inwardly urging her to tell me the reason for this behavior".

"I-Im……i-in….love………….with Naruto".

After all these years I've known her, after all this time she's had feelings for him…….

Hinata has finally confessed her love for Naruto.

**Author's Note: **This was a very long chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I updated today because the rest of the weekend I have so much work that needs to get done. Reviews are very much appreciated. I will have another chapter posted by next weekend.

Thanks a lot,

Sweetness.


	50. Gratitude

**Author's Note: **UGGHHHH!!!!!! I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW!!!!!! Sometimes I just can't stand my parents!!!!! Do you guys usually get into arguments with your parents? Thankfully there is fanfiction to release all of my anger and frustration as I write this next chapter.

**Chapter 50: Gratitude**

"Are you okay Hina?" I asked with utter concern while brushing her dark raven hair away from her face.

"Yeah…….Sakura, I'm so glad you came over. I really needed to talk to you".

I smiled at her appreciation, "That's what I'm here for".

She sat up and faced me, "Sakura……..Naruto isn't one to let go easily. What exactly happened? Please don't hide anything from me; you know I'm stronger than that".

"_I guess I should probably tell her anyway"._

Sighing, I began to tell her what actually happened.

"Well I was out in the market place shopping for a couple of ingredients for dinner that day. Naruto came out of nowhere and started following me. I tried ignoring him, hoping he would leave me alone. Of course with his stubborn personality, he persisted to stay and ask me all sorts of questions. One of them was actually about you".

Her eagerness showed clear-cut on her face, "R-Really? What did he say?"

I decided to play with her for a little, "I don't know Hina…….."

She lunged toward me and gripped my shoulders tightly looking me straight in the eye, "Tell me! I need to know!"

"Alright alright! Calm down. Well he asked why you always stare and turn away every time he looks back at you".

"W-What did you say?"

"I said that you find something very interesting about him".

She immediately fell on the floor and I had to help her back up, "Sakura! Thanks a lot, now he knows everything! I am going to be the laughing stalk of the entire village-"

"Hinata, he doesn't know a thing".

She looked at me dumfounded, "How does he not know that I have feelings for him? Wasn't it obvious?"

I laughed, "Nothing is obvious for Naruto. He kind of ignored your thoughts of him and immediately asked what I thought of him. I named his good qualities but went back to our middle school memories when I completely hated him. I said that he had is very own guardian angel watching over him all these years pledging that she would risk her life for him. He didn't say anything afterwards and I said to him that there is someone out there for the both of us. He confessed his love for me and I didn't know what else to do but run away…"

She held my hand for support, "S-Sakura….I'm so sorry. This is my entire fault".

I nodded, "No, it's not Hinata. At Sai's art exhibition he asked me the same question about why I wouldn't love him. I said that if he really loves me like I think he does, then he would accept the fact and move on. He agreed and became his normal self again. That's when he asked me who that special girl was. Of course I didn't tell him and he has to find out for himself. Hinata you have been there for me all of these years, as selfless as you are, you deserve happiness. You and Naruto belong together".

Tears were falling from her eyes again, "Oh…..S-Sakura……."

I decided to change the subject a little, "Now that we've gotten this little situation straightened out. How about getting together with the rest of the girls tomorrow night? We really miss you, and it's not like someone like you is replaceable. What do you say?"

"I-I…..guess so".

"Good! So I will be back here tomorrow afternoon with Ino to work on your appearance and we will head back to the restaurant together".

She smiled the smile I haven't seen in so long.

"Okay…….thank you again Sakura".

"No problem" I said while getting up.

She grabbed my wrist, "You're leaving already?"

"Yeah……it's getting a little late and my mom and I were going to spend the evening together. You should do the same with Gin-san".

She nodded, "I think I will".

We waved to each other and I left the Hyuuga household. I was heading home until I was about to pass the Konoha Hospital.

"_Oh I forgot! Ryo should be awake now!"_

I entered the hospital and Mika greeted me in the lobby, "Sakura! You're here! Ryo has woken up if you would like to see him".

"Of course, lead the way" I said while following her.

We walked down the hallway until reaching room number 106.

"This is the room. If you need anything please call the reception desk".

And with that she left as I opened the door quietly. There was a cool breeze from inside. That's when I realized, the window was open. I stepped into the room and found Ryo's bed empty.

"_Where could he be?"_

I walked further inside calling his name. That's when I noticed that the sliding glass door to the balcony was open. There he was standing looking out towards the rich colorful skies as the sunset. He was wearing just a plain simple black T-shirt and shorts with sandals.

"_Should I talk to him? He'll probably ignore and insult me"._

I walked outside and stood next to him, "Feeling better?"

As I predicted, he didn't say a thing but continued to face forward as his beautiful dark locks continued to blow in the wind.

"_Okay…….I guess that didn't really work"._

"I came here to thank you for saving me the other day".

As rude of a person he is, he didn't even bother saying your welcome.

"_Still a jerk and always will be"._

"Why did you do it? Why save someone like me?"

That's when he tore his gaze away from the sunset and faced me. All he did was stare, it was a little creepy. It seemed like close to five minutes and I was getting really uncomfortable. He's never stared at me like this before. Before he would just give me a look like he was above me or didn't give a care about me.

This was a bit different.

It's the kind of look you give something when you find it really appealing to the eye.

To my relief, he started the conversation back up again.

"You're my teammate. I couldn't just let you suffer like that" he stated while walking back into the room.

I followed him and looked at him suspiciously, "So you finally acknowledge the fact that I'm your teammate?"

He stood still and didn't say anything.

"_Hah! Got you there jerk!"_

"I guess so……" he shrugged.

That kind of shocked me. He finally put his 'pride' aside and admitted that he actually _acknowledges _someone like me!

I watched as he stretched his body to feel loosened up. It seemed as if he was overworking himself.

"Ryo I don't think you should do that. You're body hasn't really healed all the way" I warned him.

He just smirked and continued to do against what I was saying, "Psh……yeah right, I can-AHHHH!!!!!"

He fell on the floor and cursed at himself. Without any hesitation, I rushed to his side and helped him up on his bed.

"I told you so" I said while sticking my tongue at him, and in return, he glared.

"I need to see your wound Ryo, please take your shirt off".

It was a pretty awkward situation but I was his teammate after all and a certified physician. I had to help him whether he liked it or not. Ryo removed his shirt and I had to refrain from gawking at his well-built body.

"_So muscular…….so GAH STOP IT! YOU HATE ABSOLUTLEY HATE HIM REMEMBER?"_

"Okay show me your wound" I ordered him.

He turned his body facing me and there was a large cut in the area below his heart. Some of the stitches fell out.

"Looks like I'm going to have to stitch you. Just stay still it won't hurt a bit".

I went over to the medicine cabinet on the other side of the room and pulled out a clear bottle of anesthesiac oil.

I sat back down on the bed, opened the bottle, and poured a couple drops on my hand.

"This oil will greatly reduce the amount of pain you will when I stitch your wound back together. You'll only feel a little sting".

"Just get it over with" he demanded.

"_Does he always have to be in a prissy mood?"_

I rubbed the oil carefully on his wounded area and stitched everything together.

"Did that hurt?"

"No" he said.

"_It probably did, he's just too chicken to admit that it hurt"._

We stayed seated in the same position for a while. He was still staring at me in that weird way.

"Well…..Mika the nurse who helped to take care of you said that you are going to have to be on bed rest for a couple days. Please don't get yourself into trouble, I don't want to have to baby you".

Ryo crossed his arms over his chest, "Baby me? Who said you were babying me?"

I smirked, "Because I specifically told you to stop moving around and stretching too much and being the rebel you are, you just _had _to not listen to me and injure yourself. That's how little kids act".

He ignored my comment and I noticed the time.

"_Oh shoot! I should probably go back home and get ready for movie night!"_

"Hey Ryo, I have to go. I will come back and check on you in a couple days okay?"

He nodded as I left. I could feel his gaze on my back.

"Sakura".

I turned to face him before opening the door.

"Thank you".

I smiled, "You're welcome".

Closing the door, I left the hospital for home.

When reaching there, I found Raidon about to knock on the door.

"Hey Raidon!" I said while waving to him.

"Hey Sakura nii-san"

"_See now Wataru should definitely follow his example"._

The two of us entered the house and I called mom and Wataru.

Mother came from the kitchen and Wataru came from upstairs.

"Raidon! You're here dude!" He said while high fiving his friend.

"Raidon, would you like some dinner before you two head back to your house?"

"Actually Rina-san, okaa-san is planning on cooking dinner for the both of us and Konohamaru nii-san wants to take us to the theater and see the clash of the Shinobi".

Wataru's ocean blue eyes grew wide, "NO WAY! What are we waiting here for? Let's go!"

"Have fun boys!" yelled mother.

The two waved and left leaving just me and mom.

"Well mom, I'm going to take a shower and change into my PJs".

"Sure go right ahead".

I changed out of my clothes, took a shower, and changed.

Mother and I ate dinner and a couple of hours later we ready to have out movie night marathon.

I sat on the sofa with the TV right in front of us when mother said, "Saku I'm going to take a shower. Don't start the movie without me okay?"

"Okay mom!" I said while sitting and waiting.

She left and I could hear the shower from down here.

I reflected on my day and thought about Ryo.

"_He's never said thank you to me before. Could things possibly change? Will he stop acting like a jerk and will the two of us become friends?"_

I decided to give it a little time.

**Author's Note: **What did you think? Review please. I seriously need more reviewers!!! Writing really helped, now my anger is gone. Thankfully, I have you guys to write for.

Thanks a whole lot!

Sweetness.


	51. Visions

**Author's Note: H**ey everyone! I am actually getting a lot more reviewers! That makes me really happy! I seriously couldn't have gotten this far if it weren't for you guys. By the way, everything is all good between my mom and I. We're BFFs again! To answer one of the questions I got, we are currently in the middlish part of the story. I got a lot about the storyline, if you guys keep reading, all will be revealed!

**Chapter 51: Visions**

"Sakura!"

_"Ughhh......mom why do you have to wake me up so early!"_

Raising my head groggily, I greeted mother with droopy emerald orbs and frizzy hair. The light from the window blinded my eyes as soon as mother pulled up the blinds. She removed the large blanket over me, sending chills throughout my body.

"Mom! Couldn't you see that I was sleeping?"

As usual, she put her hands on her hips, "Sakura.....it's 10:00! You've wasted half of you're day already. I knew we shouldn't have stayed up later past 1:00. It's too late for you. Now get up and eat some breakfast".

Sighing, I got up and walked downstairs.

A surprise waited for me at the kitchen table.

"DAD!" I literally screamed running over and greeted him with a hug.

"Sakura, how are you? I missed you sweetheart".

Without letting go of him I smiled, "I've been great dad. I really missed you. How was the conference?"

I let go of him and sat down eating some breakfast mother made. He took a sip of his coffee and proceeded to answer my question.

"It was actually a big problem. You're mother and brothers know about this. While I lead the meeting, some messenger from the hidden rock village barged in the conference room and informed us of another stealing of one of those sacred stones".

A shocked look appeared removing all signs of early morning weariness from my face, "What? Another one?"

Father nodded, "This is getting to be such a problem…."

"_I can't believe this……who the hell keeps targeting these stones!? Could it be those guys from the hidden rain village?"_

"Saku?"

Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked up and met mother's gaze. You know it's kind of interesting. Every time I see her, it's like looking into a mirror. The only difference is our hair color. There are my blossom-colored pink locks, and her darker copper-red ones.

"Yes mom?" I asked.

"You zoned out for a bit there. Are you alright?"

Chuckling at my behavior, I dismissed it like it was nothing, "Oh…yeah I'm fine! Listen, I have to go and meet up with Hinata today".

"Oh alright then, have fun! Your father and I will be spending the entire day together".

I giggled, "Okay lovebirds……wait……where's Shin?"

Father spoke up, "I managed to convince Gai to find someone else to help him out with his 'youth' camp so right now, Shin is over at the ANBU training center".

"He probably owes you a ton for that dad".

He smirked, "Nah….it's what I do".

I left the kitchen and got ready to go over to Hina's house. Since we were going to spend the entire day together, I took my evening outfit with me and decided to wear a very casual yellow qipao-style dress reaching up to an inch or so past my knees. After tying my hair up into a bun, I headed out into the village streets.

The weather here in the fire country never ceases to amaze me. It's always so warm and beautiful. I would never choose to live anywhere else.

I passed by the hospital and looked at it for a while. Tsunade had me take off, but it wasn't my love for medicine and science attracting me to the place. Ryo's image suddenly popped into my mind. That same old cocky smirk plastered on his angelic face with his arms across his chest, turning his head away as his lips formed a pout.

"_Should I go see him today?"_

I looked over to the large clock in the center of the village.

"_No…..I should probably let him rest. I need to go see Hinata anyway…."_

I continued my journey to the Hyuuga estate with ease and greeted Gin-san while she was on her way there.

"Morning Gin-san!"

She turned to me and cracked a genuine smile, "Good morning Sakura. Are you heading towards the house?"

I nodded, "I sure am! Would you like me to hold a couple of groceries for you?"

Looking down at the large brown bag in her arms, she looked back up at me and grinned,

"No, I'm fine Sakura. I left early today to make Hinata a special breakfast. Ever since you left yesterday, she hasn't wiped that same smile off of her face. All she could talk about was getting all dressed up and finally getting out of the house for the longest time and seeing all of you guys again".

It warmed my heart to hear Hinata was back to her old self, "Now that she's like this, we have to make sure that Hina doesn't fall back to her miserable state again".

"Of course" she nodded.

We approached the large home, and Gin-san placed the Hyuuga symbol-imprinted keys into the door hole and let the both of us in.

I helped Gin-san make breakfast consisting of all of Hina's favorite foods, including, zenzai and cinnamon rolls.

After about a half an hour's worth of work, Gin-san had me wake Hinata up.

I opened her door with caution and quietly stepped in. There she was with that same smile I missed so much on her face. Her long hair was sprawled everywhere with the lilac blankets covering her body.

While tiptoeing over to her, I noticed a picture frame set on top of her crème-colored dresser. I navigated away from Hina a bit and studied the photo.

It was a picture of what looked like Hinata's immediate family. There were four people: a man, a woman, and two young girls.

The man had no intention of smiling, I mean his expression said it all. As long as I've known Hinata, Hiashi has always been like this. Then I looked down at the two girls. The shorter one had her arms crossed pouting while not even looking at the cameraman, or whoever took the picture. The taller girl wore a light pink kimono with a white flower in her dark hair. A tiny smile adorned her face, but there was something about her eyes which sparked curiosity in me. I squinted trying to look deeper into those pearls of hers. It looked like she almost knew that something dark and tragic would soon take place in her life. When I removed my gaze from her eyes and looked back at the picture fully, I noticed something. Hiashi, Hanabi, and Hinata were a completely separate photo aside from the woman's photo which was taped together to the one with the three others. This woman wore an older version of Hinata's outfit. It was long, elegant, and of course pink. She left her dark brown hair open, but I noticed that she didn't have those same opal eyes as the other three. Instead they were a dark piercing violet color. She and Hinata looked so much alike, it was almost scary like the resemblance between both me and my mother.

"Interesting isn't it?"

I turned and found Hinata standing in her long white nightgown giving me a sad smile.

"H-Hinata….I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to look-"

"No it's perfectly fine, you had to know eventually after we've known each other all these years".

She walked over to where I was standing and also studied the picture. A flash of sadness appear on her face.

"This woman you see here…….is my mother".

I immediately turned my attention to the photo again, "Oh my….."

"I know….since I was only five years old after she passed away, I don't remember anything about her. One day, Gin-san was tending to the gardens and nobody else was in the house except for me. I was always so curious to see what exactly was in my father's room. I mean isn't it weird that I've been living here for my whole life and I've never been inside my parent's room?"

I nodded, "It is a little odd".

She continued, "Well I snuck in and was completely awed by the sight. It's huge with this massive king-sized bed in the middle of the room. There are all sorts of Hyuuga antiques and symbols adoring the furniture and the walls. Then I noticed a picture on my father's side table. I went to go check it out and found a portrait of this beautiful woman. The sight of her just stunned me, hoping that someday I would look like her".

"But you do, except for those eyes" I informed her.

"I know, it was her eyes I wanted. I stood there looking at them for a while until I heard someone open the door. My reflexes told me to get out of there, but it was too late, I got caught. Out of all people, it just had to be my father. Surprisingly, he wasn't mad or anything. He picked me up, sat me on his bed, and told me who this woman was. He said I could keep the picture, and that I did. It was hard to live without a mother, and just looking at this photo of the three of us makes me feel totally empty. I decided to tape her picture next to ours, making us look like a real family".

Tears were on the verge of falling from my eyes. I couldn't show this side in front of Hinata, it would just break her.

"Hinata, what did the elders think about your father marrying out of the family?"

She turned away from the picture and faced me, "They weren't too happy about it, but my father persisted. He was in love with her. I remember Gin-san telling me that he described her as his world".

"_That's so sad….."_

"Hina….w-what…h-happened?"

She bit her lip, probably trying to keep herself from crying.

"She gave her life for him……."

My mouth was left open, not knowing what to say. I didn't want to pry any further, thinking that wouldn't be my place to ask.

"Hinata, Gin-san made breakfast for you. Let's go downstairs".

That seemed to cheer her up a little bit.

"Alright" she said while walking with me towards the door.

We met Gin-san downstairs and sat down at the table watching Hinata eat.

"Gin-san….this is delicious".

She chuckled at the compliment, "Thank you, but Sakura helped also".

She stopped eating and smiled at me, as I returned it to her.

"Eat up Hina, you need to make up for not eating anything these past few months".

After eating only plate of cinnamon rolls she pushed it back towards us and pat her stomach, "I'm too full……"

I sighed looking at her plate, "Alright…..we'll cut you some slack this time".

"Thank you" she replied.

Gin-san got up and took Hinata's plate over to the sink to wash it, "Girls, I am needed to assist Hiashi-san at one of his meetings so why don't the two of you enjoy your day outside until Ino get's here?"

"Sure" we both said.

Gin-san left for the meeting and Hinata and I hung out in her garden. It was like a dream getaway place. Somewhere where a person could just sit and think for the entire day.

"How often do you come here Hina?" I asked while sitting on one of the two-seater benches as she sat down next to me.

"Whenever problems arise in my life……it's just so relaxing here. Gin-san told me that my mother used to come here a lot also. Apparently, both of us are a lot alike. Except our personalities are very different. She was outgoing and made so many friends with ease. She looked at things in a positive light, in that way, it kind of reminds me of you Sakura".

"Really?" I asked while raising a brow.

She nodded and looked up at the sky. There was no cloud in sight, just an ocean of absolute blue.

We talked nonstop for the next couple hours about such random things, like we've always done. With someone like Hinata, nothing is awkward. You can somehow just trust her. It was a blessing to have a friend like that.

The two of us seemed to lose track of time when we noticed Ino rushing over knocking on the door fervently.

"We should probably open it up for her" I said while getting up.

Hina nodded and we went back inside and opened the door for her.

"Ino-pig!" I greeted.

"Forehead!" she exclaimed while fiercely pulling me into a hug.

Then she caught sight of Hinata bringing her to tears after she literally threw herself at her.

"H-Hina……where have you been?" She asked while pulling away from her and brushing the tears away from her clear aquamarine eyes.

"I-I'm sorry Ino……"

"Don't worry me like that again, do you hear me!? The rest of us have been nothing but sick and worried about you! You can't just shut us out of your life like that!"

I interrupted, "Ino….I know how everyone feels about Hinata's behavior, but she's fine now. She's just been through a lot of stress lately that's all".

Ino nodded, "Okay that's good. Now that everything is settled, let's get you made over Hina!"

"_Ino-pig and her makeovers……."_

It was a couple hours until dinner time, and the three of us got ready here at the Hyuuga Estate. We each took turns taking showers, fixed up our hair, and the hardest part getting dressed.

Thankfully, I decided on an outfit before coming here and went with that. It was fairly simple but elegant. It was almost like a half kimono, half dress kind of a style reaching up to a little past my knees. There were no patterns, just the same shade of pink like my hair. Then I adjusted a white waist belt and finished up with a simple pair of half an inch heeled white-colored sandals. Since my hair was blow-dried I left it open and kept my face makeup-free. I was proud of my natural beauty and decided to just leave it at that.

I turned to Ino who stood in front of Hinata's mirror trying to pretty herself up. Her long golden-blonde hair was tied up into a stylish ponytail. Her outfit consisted of a sky blue sleeveless hip-hugging kimono with a white scarf to match. Her well-designed high heels made the woman I've been calling pig for my entire life glow.

Ino gave Hinata this totally renewed look. There she was standing with a lilac kimono with large long sleeves patterned with white flower petals. Like Ino, Hinata's long hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and she tied a darker purple sash around her waist, touching up the entire outfit. Like me, Hinata also didn't wear any make up. She was beautiful the way she was.

"Alright girls, it's time! Let's get going!" Pig commanded.

We left the house and walked into the village. It was still bustling full of people all over the place. As the sun set, the artificial lights from the restaurants lit up the village.

"Here we are, Ramen Palace. This place opened like a week or so ago. Everyone's here already, c'mon!" Ino said while rushing inside.

The three of us entered and it was packed full. The host stood behind a wooden podium wearing a suit smiling at us, "What party ma'am?"

She grinned, "Hyuuga".

The man smiled, "Right this way please".

As we walked towards the table, I noticed Hinata becoming a little nervous. I held her hand as a gesture that everything was going to be okay. She looked up at me and nodded.

"Here you go ma'am. Please take your seat and your server will be right with you".

Ino nodded and turned to everyone at the table.

"Hey guys!"

"What do you want troublesome girl?" complained Shikamaru wearing a suit.

"_Temari must have gotten to him"._

The look on Ino-pig's face was priceless! Her face became red and she looked like she would eat him up alive.

Raising her fist up she glared at him, "Why you little-"

"Ino?"

She turned and smiled at the sight of Sai.

"Sai! It's so good to see you!" She said while hugging him and planting a kiss on his cheek".

She took her seat next to him while gesturing me to sit.

For some reason, I just stood there like an idiot.

"Sakura-chan?"

I looked up and saw Naruto waving at me. He looked absolutely gorgeous in what looks like wasn't a suit.

You see someone like Naruto, absolutely hates getting dressed up. He wore just a simple pair of flexible black pants and his sleeves were ripped off from one of his black ninja shirts with a red bandana around his beautiful blonde head.

"_Oh my……"_

I snapped out of my trance when I noticed that Hinata stood behind me, which may have been the reason why nobody noticed that she was even here.

"Everyone" I said catching their attention as they stopped their side conversations and looked up at me.

I stepped aside and let them take a good look at Hinata.

Utensils dropped and everyone just stared. Tenten was the first to get up and run towards Hinata hugging and crying.

"Hinata……."

"Tenten……."

They looked at each other and embraced each other again. Soon Temari, Ayame, Rock Lee, and plenty of others followed suit. Everyone backed away and gave her some breathing room. Hinata and I sat next to each other across from Naruto. He sat there staring, but didn't say anything. I looked on the other side of the table and noticed Neji staring at her with a concerned look.

The entire night everyone bombarded Hinata with questions of all sorts and plans to get together soon. Hinata laughed and smiled, and it was nice to see that. For the longest time, she looked truly happy.

"This food is positively youthfully delicious!" Lee commented.

"Shut it Lee, aren't you a little too old to keep saying youthful?" asked Chouji while devouring a piece of meat from his steak.

Lee playfully glared, "Saying youthful keeps you feeling young and _healthy_. You should learn a thing or two about that since you look a little older than you actually are".

I noticed that Naruto didn't say anything this entire time.

"_What's up with him?"_

He finally looked up at Hinata and smiled at her, "Hinata, you look…..beautiful…."

I could see the heat rising up from her face, "T-Thank y-you….."

He started the conversation again, "I haven't seen you in so long. It felt really different without you Hinata. Do you think you want to go out to lunch with me tomorrow? You know, to catch up on things like old friends do?"

I don't know why but……Naruto asking Hinata to lunch made me feel hurt. This is something good for her though….she needs this. I just couldn't help the feeling. I thought my feelings were gone, but they're still affecting me. It's possible that they could go away with time. I just want the two people I love dearly to hopefully find happiness together.

I looked up to see her reaction, "S-Sure….."

Then I could hear Chouji raising his voice to Lee, "Are you implying something here Lee?"

Lee leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, "Oh well….you just have a little extra weight on you-"

"WHAT!?" he seethed while threatening to his chair at him.

"_Big mistake Lee…."_

Ino and Tenten got up and tried reprimanding the two, but they wouldn't stop.

"Lee calm down, I thoughtful a youthful person is able to control their feelings".

Lee's glare looked like it could burn a whole through Chouji's stomach, "Being youthful is also a test to see how well you can use all of your pent up energy and I have just the idea".

Lee through his crème pie at Chouji, who somehow was able to eat it while the pie flew right at him at high speed. The two began throwing all sorts of things at each throwing, accidentally hitting one of the costumers who stood up and threw something back unintentionally at someone else. Soon this entire fiasco, turned into a food fight.

"You guys this is really immature! Stop it!" pleaded Ayame.

"Don't worry Ayame, I'll-whaa? AKAMARU! GET BACK UNDER THE TABLE!" Kiba yelled.

Akamaru scared half of the costumers out of the restaurants and one of the waiters caught the canine in this facility.

"Hey, sir! No animals allowed-AHHHHHH!!!" He yelled while being hit on the head with a bowl of ramen, causing Naruto to laugh like a maniac.

"HAHA, looser!"

Everything was getting completely out of hand and things got even worse when Hinata suddenly screamed and fainted.

"H-Hinata!" I screamed while rushing to her side. Everyone else noticed and stopped the food fight.

"Is she alright Sakura?" Tenten asked while touching the Hyuuga Heiress's head with the back of her hand.

"I don't know…."

Naruto immediately ran over, "Let me take her to the hospital".

"No, I'll take care of her. I'll see you guys later" I informed them as I ran off carrying her back home.

I ran as fast as my legs could take me and finally got back to the house. After urgently knocking on the door, Gin-san opened it and a shocked look appeared on her face.

"Oh my…..Sakura what happened to her!?"

I paused gasping for breath and continued, "She fainted so I brought her back here. Hinata is fine, she needs rest".

Gin-san nodded and followed me as I took her up to her room and laid her down on her bed.

"How long will Hinata be unconscious?"

"Most likely for an hour or so".

She sighed of relief and sat down on the bed, "Is there anything I can do to help her once she wakes?"

I thought about it for a minute, "Just prepare some herbal tea, that usually soothes the mind and body".

She nodded, "Alright…..actually I need to run out and get a few things along with the stuff for the tea. I'll be back soon. Please stay with her".

"Don't worry Gin-san, I won't leave Hinata out of my sight".

She left and I waited in the room hoping Hinata would wake up soon.

"_Why did she faint all of a sudden?"_

I stood up and looked out her window. Hinata's room had such a great view of the village. I caught sight of everything, the hokage tower, the restaurant which is probably a mess right now, and the hospital. I was eager to see Ryo tomorrow, I'm sure by then he would have completely healed.

After a while of thinking and staring out into the dark skies, I heard rustling on the bed sheets.

I ran over and sat next to Hinata, "Hina? Can you hear me?"

She moaned softly and her eyes slowly opened, "W-What……happened?"

"You fainted" I stated.

She sat there quiet and kept looking at the picture of her family from this afternoon.

"Hinata, do you remember anything before your body completely fell unconscious?"

She turned and met her eyes with mine, "Yes…….It was weird. I saw these mental images in my ahead. Things I have never even experienced in my life. The strange thing was that the images were a little blurry for me to tell what they were".

"_She saw images in her mind?"_

"Could you have been daydreaming?" I inquired.

She nodded, "No….these pictures in my head seemed too real to be just some daydream. I heard someone screaming…..like they were in pain….and then that person just stopped and……I heard a loud thud on the ground while someone else laughed maniacally".

"_Weird…."_

I looked at the picture again and stared at the image of her mother. Hinata I wanted to ask you…..what happened to your mom?"

"The story Gin-san told me was a little strange. Apparently she somehow knew all along that Neji's father, Hizashi, was at one point going to kill the head leader of the Hyuuga clan. He was tired all his life of devoting his life to be his own brother's bodyguard. He felt inferior. So my uncle, wanted to end all of this and planned to kill my father. That night, both of my parents were at home alone and Hizashi ambushed the two of them and aimed to kill father. Father was too shocked or stunned to know what was going on. Mother took the hit for him and her last words were, 'I saw your death'. A couple of weeks later, I was kidnapped and if my father killed the perpetrator, then Kumogakure would wage war on Konoha. Hizashi volunteered to serve as a body double and face the consequences for my father. He felt it was the right thing after murdering my mother that night and died knowing this would be his fate".

"Hinata….you said that your mom saw your father's death. How is that even possible?"

"I think I remember Gin-san saying something a long time ago about mother being able to see the future. Her clan was made up of clairvoyants".

"_O wow, her mom had visions of the future?"_

Gin-san still wasn't home yet and we sat still on the bed quietly not saying anything for a while until Hinata spoke back up.

"Sakura".

I turned to face her, signaling that I wanted to hear what she had to say.

"I think what I saw in my mind was a vision".

My eyes grew wide, "Really? What did you see?"

"Someone's death".

**Author's Note: **This was a very long chapter, I know I know. What did you think of it? Review please!

Thanks a bunch!

Sweetness.


	52. Can I trust him?

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! How was your week of school? I don't know about you guys but to me, it felt so long. Here I am sitting in my room on a Friday evening listening to some romantic music, to get me into the mood. I want to thank you guys for all of the support, and now to return the favor…..

Check out this next chapter!

**Chapter 52: Can I trust him?**

The thought scared me.

"W-Who's death did you see Hinata?"

She nodded solemnly, "I don't know. The weird thing was that……I feel like I know this person in my vision, like I have some unbreakable connection with them. Unfortunately, I have no idea when all this is going to take place. We'll just have to go along with everything until the time comes".

The door opened revealing Gin-san rushing to Hinata's side and embracing her into a heartwarming hug.

"My Hina-chan……please don't scare me again….." she wept.

"It was completely out of my control Gin-san. You cannot tell anyone….Sakura is the only other person who knows".

Gin-san stood up firmly to prepare for what Hinata had to say.

She took a deep breath ready to tell Gin-san the news, "I can predict the future".

A shocked look appeared on Gin-san's face, "Y-You do? I knew this would happen! You have developed your mother's gift after all".

"What do you mean I got her gift after all?" Hina asked.

"I mean that the Hyuuga traits are so dominant. It's just interesting that you somehow have both genes of the two clans".

I caught sight of a tear rolling down her rosy cheeks, "G-Gin san…..I-I'm not normal….."

Gin-san approached Hinata and sat next to her on the other side of the bed, "No that's not true Hina-chan. This is a very special gift which the divine beings of the heavens specifically chose _you _to have instead of so many others. You should feel lucky and blessed. Use this to your advantage and treasure it. Being a clairvoyant is the only remnant you have of your mother".

She nodded and Gin-san got up, "Well….please rest up tonight. I'm going to make you some herbal tea which will make you feel better. Sakura, would you like some?"

I too stood up, "Actually Gin-san….I need to get back home. My parents are probably worrying about me. Thank you for letting me spend the whole day here, it was a lot of fun. Hinata, it was nice to see you spending time with everyone again. Now that you're back to yourself, let's do this more often".

She smiled, "Yes…..we should".

I bid them goodbye and went back home. When stepping into the house, it was quiet. Majority of the lights were out, except for the dim light coming from the library/office room.

Father was sitting in his rotating black comfy-looking chair with papers sprawled over his large wooden desk. His reading glasses fell to the top of his nose, while reading what looks like a couple of letters in the faint light. He looked like he was having a migraine and was under a lot of stress.

"_Maybe I should just pop in and see how he's doing"._

Walking in the room, I made my way to stand in front of the desk. He really must have been tired and stressed if he couldn't sense me right in front of him. It took father five minutes to notice I was there, and looked up at me while readjusting his glasses in front of his eyes.

"Sakura, good you're home. How was your day with Hinata and your other friends?"

I took a seat on one of the cushy chairs next to him and relaxed, "It was a lot of fun. Hinata and I talked for pretty much the whole day, and then Ino came over to get ready for dinner with us. Then we pretty much ate out with everyone and went back to her house".

"That sounds like a lot of fun".

Well, I decided not to tell him the exact _details _if you know what I mean.

"So…..how did your day go?"

Dad leaned back in his chair and stretched out his body, "It was….busy. I couldn't even watch Shin over at the training center and failed to make it to Wataru's tournament. It was supposed to be my day off, but of course, I ended up getting an emergency call from Tsunade".

That caused me to sit up in my chair leaning further to hear more, "What was the emergency?"

Sitting forward, he clasped his hands together and shut his eyes for a moment.

"Tsunade informed me of more thefts, all in one day. Can you believe it? I mean….how does this keep happening? It's come to the point now where there is one more stone left".

"And which one is that?" I questioned further.

"The fire stone located here in Konoha".

That was a horrific thought. We needed to take some drastic measures and keep this stone safe. Things are definitely getting out of hand.

Suddenly I stood up from my chair and firmly placed my hands on the desk and held them there while facing my father, "Dad, maybe the problem is that whoever is taking these jewels probably knows _where _the leaders are keeping them: in the religious shrines. Konoha has no religious shrines or priests, so the perpetrator probably knows that already. I think it may be kept in the safe in the hokage tower with Tsunade since the hokage isn't here right now".

"Yes…..Danzo has been gone for a few months now".

I kept the secret of Danzo's murder to myself. I didn't want some riot or panicking from the other villagers to start.

"That is a good idea Sakura. How about I convince Tsunade to let us keep it, but promise me that you will not tell your mother or your brothers of this".

"I promise".

He started putting his paperwork away, "Good. I'll talk to Tsunade about it tomorrow, and why don't you get some rest in the mean time? You look exhausted".

"Not as much as you dad".

He nodded, "True, but you'll need your rest anyways. Good night".

"Night dad" I said while heading up to my room.

The upstairs hallway was dark and quiet. The others must have gone to sleep already.

I walked into my room, changed my clothes, brushed my teeth, and went to bed. The whole night, I couldn't sleep. Tonight's events replayed in my mind.

"_Who could have been the person dying in Hinata's vision?"_

"_Who keeps stealing the stones?"_

"_What will become of everything once those perpetrators get their hands on them?"_

I tried dismissing those thoughts and focused on getting to sleep, but my mind wouldn't let me. I was too anxious to know everything. For the entire night, I remained still in my mind just staring at the ceiling in the dark.

Time seemed to pass by so quickly, when I saw that my clock on my side table read: 4:00 a.m.

For some reason, my mind was still fully awake and I felt like moving around anyway.

I got out of bed and ate an early breakfast.

While looking for food in the refrigerator, I came across a whole load of fresh ripe tomatoes.

"_Maybe I could give some to Ryo when I visit him today"._

Without a second thought, I packed up about three of these tomatoes. They were huge; the man who sold them to my mother said they were grown all the way in the tea country. In the Tea Country, somehow the special nutrients from the ground help the fruits and vegetables to grow this particular size.

I wasn't in the mood to go back to sleep or sit here waiting for everyone else to wake up, so I decided to go to the hospital a little extra early today. After taking a quick shower, I was again presented with the challenge of finding what to where.

There was just a simple long quarter-sleeved white baby doll tunic and a pair of khaki capris to go with it.

"_Might as well wear this"._

After changing, I brushed my a little past shoulder length hair, and left for the hospital carrying the tomatoes.

Since it was early in the morning, it was a bit chilly. Nobody was awake, it was eerily quiet. The fall leaves crunched underneath my feet as I walked and the sky formed a little bit of color. The light from the sun was weak and still below the horizon.

Entering the hospital, I checked in with Mika who was fast asleep over at the reception desk.

"Mika?"

No answer, I could have sworn I heard slight snoring.

I put the tomatoes down and shook her awake, "Whaa? Oh Sakura! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I fell asleep on the job".

"It's okay Mika. I know it's hard to take early morning shifts, I've been there. Is it possible for me to visit Ryo right now?"

She checked her watch, "Right now? I was actually going to ask why you were here so early. You don't have to be at work for another……five hours".

I shrugged, "I couldn't sleep. I just wanted to leave these tomatoes for him".

Sighing she stood up, "Oh alright….I suppose, please follow me".

Like the town, the hospital was also pretty silent. There were no emergencies, just complete and utter peace.

"Here we are Sakura, enjoy your visit".

"Thanks Mika" I said while waving to her.

I watched her disappear down the hallway, and made my way into the room. I turned the door knob and slowly made my way into the room. It was dark except for the visible light I could see from the opened balcony. It was there where I saw the very person I came here to see. He wore his hospital sleeping wear and stood still staring out into the sky.

"_I hope he doesn't mind me bothering him at this hour"._

I walked over to the balcony and greeted him, "Good morning Ryo".

He turned to me and gave me a confused look, "What are you doing here so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. By the way….I brought a surprise for you as a little 'feeling better' gift".

He raised a brow and followed me back into the room when I flipped the light switch on and picked up the box of tomatoes.

All Ryo could do was stare, "I didn't need these Sakura".

I walked closer towards him and shoved the box into his chest, "Don't deny it Ryo. You have a love for tomatoes. I see it every time we go out and eat with Naruto".

He just shrugged and took the box from me. The both of us went back outside as I watched him take a couple bites of his tomato.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" He asked after finishing the first one.

"Some things came up last night which……stressed me out a little….."

"What kind of things?" he pried on.

"_Doesn't this guy have the courtesy NOT to ask when I made it clear that I don't want to tell him?"_

Of course he doesn't. I just decided to tell him only half of what happened.

"Well…I came home pretty late last night after visiting my friend Hinata. I found my dad looking exhausted and stressed out. He apparently found out that the more stones have been stolen. It's worrying all of us. I mean what's going to happen once these unknown thieves get their filthy hands on another stone?"

"Is there another stone left?" he questioned me.

"The stone of fire, which happens to be here in Konoha. If this last jewel isn't safely guarded like it should be, then I don't even know what will become of everything. I can't even bear to think of the thought".

"Do you know where the stone will be kept if there's no shrine here in Konoha?" He asked still staring at the still sunless, dark blue sky.

I felt like I could trust him to keep a secret but I remembered when father asked me to keep this secret between the two of us.

"I have no idea".

We sat there staring out into space for a moment longer until my head subconsciously dropped and I started complaining about everything.

"Why does everything have to be this way? Why can't people just realize that each village needs their stone and move on with life? That way, each and every village can maintain peace".

He turned to face me and smirked, "Life doesn't work that way. You think too idealistically, you're always living in your own world and you need to get out of it. You should be lucky with what you have, treasure each and every moment with the people you love".

It was strange….I barely knew this guy but I felt like I could trust and confide in him.

He continued, "I wouldn't have minded to have a completely sheltered childhood like you. No killings or murders……you didn't have a village betray your family".

"_His own village betrayed his family!?"_

I noticed that he clenched his fists tightly.

"_Maybe I shouldn't ask him anymore about what happened to his family"._

One question did spark my curiosity, "Ryo, why would you want to live a life like me?"

My voice seemed to calm him down as his fist loosened up and his facial features relaxed, "I've only known you for a few months, but, I could tell that you always had this optimistic view of life. You have so many friends in this village, who have grown to become fond of you. You didn't even seem to care whenever I would just put you down. I would have beaten the crap out of the person and overworked myself training to show that I'm no weakling. Whereas you on the other hand you don't care what people think. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone because you know yourself that you are a strong enough person. I've never said this to anyone before but……."

I noticed that Ryo couldn't even look at me straight in the eye and continued to look back at the now sun rising sky.

"I…..admire you".

"_HE WHAT!?"_

I just couldn't believe that Hayashi Ryo out of all people would tell me something like _this_. I ended up giving him this really surprised look and he seemed to understand me when he continued speaking.

"You're….different. I've moved around to so many villages and the entire female population focused their attention on non important things like their appearance. They were too blind to see what was in front of them. I don't know if anyone has ever told you this but….you're truly content with your life. You're goal oriented and want to get things done to improve the lives of others. I've never met someone as selfless as you".

"_He thinks I'm selfless?"_

"Ryo…..not to be rude or anything but…..I thought you hated me".

He turned to look at me again. That's when the sun instantly came up and it highlighted his featured perfectly. This time I got a good look at his eyes. They were mysterious, like a pool of black just pulling me in. Our eyes actually met for the first time, both emerald and onyx clashed. Time stopped for me, and I didn't want to pull away. I've never felt this strange feeling before. I always dreamed about a moment like this, but never in my entire life did I think this would actually happen. I guess it goes to show that life is full of surprises.

"I was jealous of you".

"_J-Jealous? This whole time?"_

Although we were quiet afterwards, the silence didn't feel awkward at all. I felt comforted by his presence.

It was great spending time with him that was unfortunately, until my time was up.

"Ryo".

He turned to look at me.

"I have to leave for work" I said as a disappointed look crossed my face.

"Oh….well go ahead then" he said as he looked back out at the now blue sky.

I gave him the rest of the tomatoes, "Well at least take these. I know you like them a lot, and if you need more just go down to the market. They have plenty in stock".

He smiled, making my heart melt.

"Thank you".

I nodded and left for work. The hallways were now filled with rushing nurses and doctors taking care of their patients and performing surgeries. Walking to the reception desk, I greeted Mika.

"Hello Mika".

"Hey Sakura, how did your visit go? You were in there for the full five hours you know that?"

I giggled, "Yeah…he's become a good friend of mine, so I just wanted to see how Ryo was doing. Do you know exactly when today he's going to be discharged?"

"Well when do you get off of work today?"

I checked my watch again, "Around 2:00?"

"Okay well Ryo will be out by 2:30. He needs some testing done, so if you want to wait you can do that".

It gave me butterflies thinking about seeing him again, "I'll do just that".

She smiled, "Okay well you're next patient is in room……204".

I nodded, "Okay thanks Mika, and I'll see you later".

She waved to me as I walked up the stairs and reached my designated room.

"Hi there, I'll be taking care of you today-GENKEI-SAN!?"

There he was lying in the hospital bed, looking sickly pale and had difficulty breathing.

I rushed to his side, "W-What happened to you!? Why are you even here in Konoha!?"

I watched as his mouth opened slowly and spoke, "I-I….was attacked".

"_Attacked!? What the hell happened!?"_

"Who attacked you!?" I demanded.

He tried raising his head but had a lot of trouble doing so as I carefully set it back down on his pillow, "T-The….A-Akatsuki…..They came after….the rain stone….I-I wouldn't give it to them……then t-they p-poisoned m-me with one of their swords….."

My eyes grew wide when I figured out who the criminals were….

"_T-The Akatsuki!?"_

That didn't matter to me right now, I had to heal Genkei-san fast.

Using my strength, I picked up Genkei-san and set him on the floor to begin the healing process.

My hands grew a bright sea green color as I began using my mystic palms technique, extracting the poison from his body. After ten minutes of searching for any remnant of the poison from the blood, I used my mystic breath technique. The chakra from my body gathers into my throat and it all releases as soon as I blow onto Genkei-san. The chakra-filled particles from my breath checked and removed anything toxic which may have infiltrated his organs. After the whole process, the color of his skin returned to normal and his breathing functioned properly.

"_Thank goodness…."_

Because of his older age, Genkei-san needed to rest for the remainder of the day.

I placed him back on his bed and left the room to heal more patients. It was a long day, and I was relieved after checking the time and finding that my shift at the hospital was over.

"_Now to check up on Ryo"._

I ran back to his room and found him being analyzed by one of the doctors.

"Ah Sakura-san, it's good to see you. Ryo is about ready, he is free to go where he pleases".

"Good".

The doctor left the room leaving just the two of us.

I went back out of the room to let him change so we could go out for lunch together.

Ichiraku was the only choice, I felt like eating ramen anyway today.

We sat down and began digging in, Toechi-san has outdone himself.

"So Ryo…..happy to be out of the hospital?" I asked jokingly.

"What do you think?"

"I'll take that as a yes!" I said grinning.

"So how did work go?" he asked me.

"You know same old same old. I healed patients…..actually…..do you remember Genkei-san?"

He stopped eating and looked at me, "Yes, I do".

I stirred the noodles in my bowl, "Well….he was one of my patients today. He was actually attacked and poisoned. I asked him who did it and he said it was the rulers of the rain country, the Akatsuki. They took the rain stone…..Ryo, I think _they_ have been the perpetrators all along!"

His response shocked me, he just smirked.

I just gave him a suspicious look, "You know what, I shouldn't even be sitting here just casually having lunch! I need to go and tell Tsunade" I said while getting up from my seat.

"Wait".

I turned around facing Ryo who still hadn't wiped that smirk off of his face, "I'll take care of it".

I raised a brow, "Really? What are you going to do about it?"

He stood up from his seat, "I'll go tell her myself".

I insisted, "No that's okay, you shouldn't really be moving around too much anyway. I can do it".

He gave me an irritated, "Sit Sakura. Let me do it".

"_What the hell is his problem!? Great, now he's acting like a total jerk again"._

He walked off and I sat back down and finished my meal. Afterwards I left and tried to find something to do. Everyone was out doing there own thing, and It's been a couple of hours since I've seen Ryo.

"_Maybe I'll go see Tsunade, and see what she has to say about the Akatsuki"._

I walked to the Hokage tower and entered her office. Tsunade was drowning in paperwork with so many empty cups of sake put off to the side of her desk. Shizune was trying to control Tonton, but she was pretty unsuccessful.

"Shizune, why don't you take Tonton out for a walk!?" She ordered, probably PMSing, even though she's at the menopausal stage already.

"Take a pig out for a walk Tsunade-san? You must have too much sake in your system".

"Trust me, I've done it before. His leash is in the closet. Take him out into the village".

She sighed, "Oh alright" and left the room.

"What can I do for you Sakura?" She asked me while putting a couple files into one of the drawers of her desk.

"Oh well…I just wanted to know what you thought about that whole thing when Ryo told you what happened to Genkei-san earlier today".

She looked like she didn't know what in the world I was talking about.

"What?" She asked me incredulously.

"_Sake can't give you short term memory can it?"_

"Lady Tsunade…..didn't Ryo come here earlier today?"

She looked at me suspiciously, "No…..why would you say that?"

I proceeded to explain, "Well….he was supposed to come to you and tell you something about Genkei-san…..but maybe he hasn't yet….that's okay".

She stood up, "Sakura…….is there something you know that I don't?"

I sheepishly grinned, "No……."

"You're a terrible liar, now tell me!" She demanded.

I sighed, "Well…..while I was at work today, Genkei-san ended up being one of my patients. He was poisoned so I had to quickly heal him and he's currently resting up now. I asked him what happened and he said that the rulers of the rain village, the Akatsuki, stole the jewel and left him in this condition. Tsunade-san, I think they have been the ones taking these jewels all along".

A shocked look appeared on her face, "Oh my…..we need to do something now. Inform your father immediately and tell him to hold an emergency conference with the rest of the ANBU squad, I will be there to discuss this with him. In the mean time, wait for Genkei-san to wake up. Understood?"

"Hai" I bowed respectfully.

Afterwards, I left for home.

I slammed the door open and mom stared at me like I was crazy.

"Sakura, are you alright?" she asked me.

"Oh uhh…yeah, I'm fine. Do you know where dad is?"

"He took the boys training. Training ground #44 I think he mentioned".

I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and ran back out of the house, "Thanks mom!"

I ran as fast as I could, thankfully, the training grounds weren't that far from home.

"_I can't let this Akatsuki, whoever they are, take what's important to these villages"._

Finally, I arrived and spotted dad and Shin in taijutsu combat.

"Dad!"

"Oh come on Sakura, stop interrupting our fight".

"Shut it Shin" I ordered.

"What seems to be the problem Sakura?" father asked me,

"Tsunade needs you ASAP".

He seemed to sense the urgency in my voice and ran off without a second thought.

"Sakura, why does the old hag need dad?"

"FYI that old hag, is partly in charge of this village. _Tsunade_ needs him because I told her who this perpetrator is".

"Who is it?"

I whispered into his ear, hoping Wataru wouldn't hear anything.

"The Akatsuki. You know the group of criminals that rule the rain village?"

"What!?" He said in response.

"What's going on guys?" asked Wataru approaching the two of us.

"Nothing" we told him while sheepishly grinning.

"Hey listen Shin, I gotta go. Whatever you do, do NOT tell Wataru".

"Alright alright, relax miss priss".

I glared at him and took off hoping to find Ryo.

The sun was setting and I was eager to find him, wondering why didn't bother telling Tsunade.

It took hours, I didn't even know where he was staying!

It was about 9:00 at night and I came across that same Uchiha compound I did a few months ago when I was attacked.

I didn't actually enter the compound, because I saw two shadowy figures underneath the dim street light.

It was difficult to hear what they were saying, because they were on the verge of whispering.

I hid behind a wall closer to the two figures trying to hear what they were saying.

"What the hell is taking so long!? I gave you this job, because I thought you could finish the job quickly!" said a deep voice.

"Shut it. I don't take orders from people like _you. _Things have not gone as I wanted them to. A couple of the villagers know the Akatsuki is at work. If you ever insult me again Madara, you won't even see the Akatsuki take control. Count your blessings that I'm here. You would no where without me" an arrogant voice said.

"_The Akatsuki…..t-they're here!? In Konoha!?"_

**Author's Note: **Hope you all liked this chapter! Keep reading and reviewing please. I may or may not post another one this weekend. If not, there will be one next weekend.

Thanks my readers!

Yours truly,

Sweetness.


	53. Failure

**Author's Note: **Hey again!!! How are all of you guys!?!?! So…nothing is really going on my life well except…I've been having the same strange recurring dreams and daydreams for a while now. It's basically me and some guy who I have never met in my life before, but I feel like I know him. I feel as if there is a connection between the two of us. I trust you guys as my readers to help me sort out this mess. Anyway, enough about my problems. My only priority right now should be you guys! Enjoy this next chappie!

**Chapter 53: Failure**

"_What do I do, WHAT IN THE WORLD DO I DO!?"_

A while ago I found out that the only stone left is the fire stone, which is susceptible to being stolen and tampered with. Now, I find that those same perpetrators are here in the village!

What's a girl to do in this kind of a situation!?

After inwardly panicking, I arrived home and tried calming myself hoping that I wouldn't worry every one else.

"Haruno Sakura, where have you been!?" scolded mother as soon as I entered the house.

"Sorry mom, I was just…..finishing up some work at the hospital…."

Usually she keeps questioning every single thing I'm up to, but this time, mom didn't really say much but shrugged and fed me dinner.

"_Yum…..Umeboshi….I really needed it…it's such a great comfort food…."_

After eating I took a shower and changed into my pajamas. Lately I've been deprived of relaxation time, and sitting quietly in my room reading a good book is just the way to do it. Although right now….I'm not too sure.

The only genre I'm interested in is romance. Call me crazy or a complete sap, but its true! It relates to my dreams, my desires, my thoughts….well….my whole world actually. It makes me both giddy and upset at the same time. Giddy, meaning that I really want to feel it like every other young woman in the world and upset because….I still haven't found it.

I thought it would somehow work out with Naruto, but I just couldn't do that to Hinata. We all saw her condition a couple days ago, and we don't want that to happen again. Besides, my feelings for him are in the process of fading. Not fully, but they hopefully will soon.

Then I think of Ryo. Just who is this guy to me? It's like one minute he's being really friendly, the next he becomes a total jerk, and sometimes….when I'm with him….I feel like there's a connection. It's like he understands me. We come from completely different worlds and yet, there's just something there.

And I don't know what that something is.

Suddenly, I've started questioning my trust for him. Sure he talks to me like I'm some little child that I'm gullible enough to believe everything he says, but, I've kind of started to find him a little suspicious. Like today for example. I mean he left right in the middle of lunch when I insisted to tell Tsunade. He had absolutely no empathy for Genkei-san like I thought he would. All he did was smirk at someone who was poisoned and attacked. I find that completely sick and sadistic behavior. Then when he assures me that he'll "take care of it", he really doesn't and leaves me to do all of the explaining for Tsunade.

Why wouldn't he want to tell her anything about the Akatsuki being the ones who have been taking the jewels?

That sounds pretty fishy to me, don't you think?

While reading, I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in" I ordered.

The door opened revealing my father still in his ANBU uniform. He must have gotten back from his conference along with Tsunade.

"Hey dad" I greeted.

Father walked towards my bed and sat on the edge, "Hello Sakura".

I put my book down and set it on one of my side tables, "So…..how was work?"

He sighed, "It was a long day…I had to deal with _plenty _of mission reports from many of my subordinates and colleagues. I didn't have time to do anything, not even eat lunch. Enjoy your youth Sakura…."

"Dad….I'm 21. I'm going to be 22 soon, how is that young?"

"Oh trust me, it's young. I would give anything to be your age, but sadly, I can't".

I saw the grim expression on his face and decided to cheer him up, "Well….look at all of the respect and money you bring into the family and the village. I'd give anything to be able to do that".

He nodded, "True. So, I attended the conference earlier this evening".

"How did it go?" I asked, furthering my curiosity.

He rubbed the back of his head and shut his eyes for a little bit, usually signaling that he's stressed out.

"_This can't be good…."_

"Tsunade says that there is no fire stone…."

I didn't say anything, hoping he would keep explaining. While on the inside, I was going ballistic.

"_How is there no stone!? Tsunade…..you are such a liar!"_

He continued, "I asked her if she was sure, because when I asked her before she was certain that there indeed was a jewel of Konoha. Tsunade informed us at the meeting that it hasn't been seen for a couple hundred years. It was rumored that it once belonged to the Uchiha clan. When both the Senju and Uchiha clans feuded and fought for power, the Senju gained control of it after Uchiha Madara defected from Konoha. Senju Hashirama, the first Hokage, kept it safe from the rest of the Uchiha clan and decided that it was best that this stone was to be passed down in the Senju clan family line. Sakura, I'm sure as you've grown up you have been taught about the first two Shinobo World Wars am I right?"

I nodded, hoping for him to keep explaining.

"Well, they were not _really _caused for gaining more territory. That was part of the reason, but not the reason behind this whole thing. That jewel was said to have possessed more power than the other stones in the other countries. People think that this is the jewel which summons the nine-tailed fox, the most powerful out of the other eight, but nobody is certain".

That was a lot to take in, especially since there were criminals actually inside the village looking for that non-existent stone.

"_Should I tell him?"_

My mind was in a total haze, processing everything that took place today.

I must have been processing a little too much information, when I started to notice after five minutes dad was waving his hand in front of my face.

"Sakura? Sakura, are you there?"

My eyes blinked a couple times trying to figure out what was going on, "Oh! Dad, I'm here sorry about that".

He chuckled at my behavior, "It's alright….you look like you've had a long day. Why not take a rest; then again, I could use some too".

I smiled as he stood up and kissed my forehead, "Good night sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow morning".

After nodding, he shut the door behind him and I was left wondering why I didn't bother telling him.

"_This could be a life threatening situation! If everyone gets killed and the entire village is destroyed, it will all be my fault!"_

My thoughts didn't last too long when I immediately fell asleep. What? I woke up like at four in the morning! I really need to get some rest before work tomorrow.

I spent my entire night dreaming about the destruction of Konoha. My thoughts must have been getting to me. The even weirder thing was….I saw a figure standing on top of the hokage tower. I couldn't see his face….but he was laughing maniacally and I saw myself paralyzed as the other villagers ran for their lives. I couldn't help but stare into those deep red eyes I remember seeing many months ago. He seemed to be staring at me too, until he jumped down from the roof of the hokage tower. I watched my frightened self stay planted in front of the burning Ichiraku ramen shop in the background. He walked closer pushing innocent people out of the way, coming towards my direction. I couldn't even call for help, my voice was gone. My body trembled and the more fear my fear radiated, the more he was enticed by me. It seemed to attract him. Instead of walking, he ran. He ran the kind of speed which was too quick for my eyes to see. I watched as he removed a long katana from his dragon-embroidered sheath charging at me and ordered, "GIVE IT TO ME!"

Afterwards, I saw nothing but darkness. My only reaction was too scream.

"Why are you screaming?" asked a voice.

I removed the sweat from my forehead and turned to the direction of the voice. It was only Wataru, thankfully, who stood in front of the opened door staring at me wide-eyed.

Of course I wasn't going to tell him what I saw in my dream. That would most likely disturb and frighten the poor kid.

"Ummm…..It's nothing. I just realized….I was late for work!"

He raised a brow, "Oh that's all? Well you kind of are a little late…..it's 9:30".

"_Crap, only half an hour!?"_

"Thanks Wataru, now out of my room so I can change" I ordered him.

He left my room and I continued with my daily morning routine. You know the usual….brushing teeth, taking shower, and the hardest part………getting dressed.

Scanning my closet, I quickly threw on a nice pair of black slacks and a simple white buttoned down fluffy top.

After vigorously brushing down my damp hair, I tied it up into a high ponytail and went downstairs to get a quick bite of breakfast.

"Morning mom, dad, Shin……..Wataru".

"Sup sis" greeted Shin.

I quickly grabbed a piece of toast and headed for the door, until mom stood up from her chair and approached me.

"Sakura baby, don't you want a proper breakfast?"

"Sorry mom….unfortunately I am a little late for work this morning. So I got to get going, I'll see you soon though!"

She waved and I headed off for work. Today was indeed a bad day….it was raining and I forgot to pack an umbrella. How stupid of a move is that!?

I tried shielding my head by placing my hands overtop of it, but there was just too much.

"Sakura, Sakura!" I heard someone yell.

"_Oh great…..why can't this person just leave it for another time!?"_

It turns out this person was Tsunade.

"_Tsunade? What's she doing out here? She never likes to leave her office. No, it's not because of the power…….there is a lot of sake involved with her job. That's the only reason Danzo convinced her to be his assistant"._

"Tsunade-san…..not to be a little rude, but I am a little tied up here".

Gasping for breath, she gripped onto my shoulder, "D-Don't worry, I've taken care of that already. A couple of new employees will be filling in for you today. Right now, I need you".

"For what?" I asked with a suspicious look.

"Just follow me already, and I'll tell you once we get there!"

Without any complaint, we ran over to the hospital. It was nice to be out of the rain. Unfortunately out of all days it rained when I was wearing white out of all colors. My top was pretty see-through. Tsunade was kind enough to let me dry in a towel I wrapped around myself.

"Tsunade, what are we doing in the hospital? I thought you said I wouldn't be working".

She ignored me as I continued to follow her to wherever we were going.

She opened the door and let me through first.

"Sakura, I've been meeting with the ANBU squad and all of the other jonin of this village. There have been mysterious injuries and killings of some of our men. There is arising suspicion that we have infiltrators here in Konoha".

I nodded as she went along, "Okay…..but what does this have to do with you bringing me here?"

She walked over to the hospital bed and removed the blankets, "This is why".

I cringed at the sight. The man was left shirtless with the same symbol which haunted me for days. It was the same one Tsunade and I encountered when we found Danzo's body.

"T-Tsunade! This is the same symbol we found imprinted on Danzo".

Just looking at the bloody-shaped fan disgusted me. I immediately took my eyes off of the man and turned to face Tsunade.

She sighed, "I know. It's probably the same person who must be here in Konoha".

My dreams from last night came bubbling back up in my mind again. I had to tell her, there was no other choice".

"Lady Tsunade…..I think I know who's been stealing those jewels".

She instantaneously looked up at me while examining the dead man's body, "What!? Who!?"

"Well…..I'm not exactly sure who….but….I was out kind of late two nights ago, and while walking around I heard two people whispering in this one secluded area. They talked about some plan……and it seemed like they weren't the kind to be trusted. They're probably hiding out here somewhere……"

"Could you recognize the area at all?"

That's when the image of the flag popped into my mind, "I think it may be the Uchiha compound".

She raised a brow, "Sakura, no one has been there for years. What could make you think anyone would be hiding out there?"

"_How dare she question me!"_

"Tsunade I know what I saw!"

"Alright….I'll trust your judgment on this".

She looked out the window and turned back to me, "Well….it looks like the rain has cleared up. I haven't actually gone out and trained with you in a while. I've been so busy with my paperwork and you with your duties over at the hospital. Let's test your abilities and see if you've grown up into the woman I thought you could".

I nodded in determination, "Yes".

We made our way over to the training grounds and began.

She stood a couple feet across from me and smirked while folding her arms across her chest, "Alright……Sakura, let's start with our chakra-enhanced strength".

The determined glint in my green eyes remained as my fists curled up, "Let's do this".

I shut me eyes and focused my chakra into the center of my body.

There was a problem…..

The chakra wasn't flowing anywhere throughout my body. I concentrated as hard as I could and began with a couple of ninjutsus.

I changed into combat formation, raising up one of my hands, "CHAKRA WAVE!"

Nothing was working, even when using my chakra wave. With it, I can cut the hard earth and all things surrounding me. The light blue surges of chakra form from the tip of my fingers but cut through like a knife.

That was the problem…..I saw no chakra forming from my fingertips. Then again, I couldn't even feel it flowing through my body.

"_What's going on!?"_

Then I felt myself fly into the air as the ground beneath me broke into more than a thousand pieces. I crashed into a tree and hurt myself pretty badly.

"Sakura!" Tsunade cried as she ran over and helped me up.

My head was killing me, and I was completely hallucinating.

She helped me up from my vulnerable state, "Sakura, what the hell were you doing!? I thought you were going to defend yourself and fight back!"

"I-I…..couldn't".

"What?" she asked me with an inquiring look.

I nodded, "I felt like there was no chakra flowing through my body. The techniques I tried weren't working, and I didn't overwork myself. In fact, I haven't really trained in a while".

She took me back over to the hospital and ran some tests on me in the scanning room. I was able to see the x-ray of my body. With it, you can see the chakra flow from different parts of the body.

When I looked, there was no chakra. I could barely see small pockets of blue things staying completely separate from each other.

She removed the machine and laid me down on the bed placing a stethoscope on different parts of my body.

"You're right, I don't feel any chakra flow inside your body. Everything is blocked, I have never seen something like this. Sakura, do you realize if this continues, you could be in a life threatening situation?"

It was hard to listen to what Tsunade was saying. I understood that this was life threatening, but, that wasn't what bothered me. I've been working up to achieve this level of power my whole life along with Tsunade's help. Now it seems like all of those years have been a complete waste.

I tear rolled down my flushed cheek as my bright green eyes met her aged brown ones.

"I'm a failure".

**Author's Note: **I hoped you all liked this chapter! I will maybe write another one this weekend, it really depends on my schedule. I've been really busy this week, I had three tennis matches! Things can get so hectic and crazy sometimes. I hope you all look forward to reading the next chapter as I write it.

Thanks a lot!

Sweetness.


	54. A Previous Engagement

**Author's Note: **Hey again! How are all of you guys? Life has seriously become really boring. It's the weekend and I've gotten majority of my homework over with, but there's just nothing to do. My friends are all out doing something, so I'm stuck bored at home. At least this next chapter is keeping me occupied, enjoy it!

**Chapter 54: A Previous Engagement**

"Stop it, you're not a failure" she assured me.

My gaze from her eyes did not shift, "What are you talking about Tsunade-san!? I am! I've spend pretty much my entire life to get stronger, and look what's happened!"

"This is not in your control. Something in your body is causing the blockage of your chakra. Everything will be fine, just don't be a drama queen".

"_I'm the drama queen!? What about you! You act like the world is going to end if you run out of sake!"_

She helped me up from the bed and I stood there planted on the hard floor.

"Sakura, are you sure you don't need anymore assistance?" Tsunade asked after letting go of my arm.

"I'm fine" I said while walking closer to the door.

"Okay, but if something goes wrong, let me know immediately".

I nodded and left for home.

On my way there, I noticed that the weather definitely cleared up. It was sunny and humid out. Usually I can handle things like this, I'm strong enough. Today was a totally different story, my vision started becoming hazy.

"_What's happening to me?"_

As I continued to question further in my mind, things became progressively worse as I walked closer to home.

Before I knew it, I started becoming dizzy and weak. It was difficult for me to breathe.

I wasn't functioning properly. There was no way for me to speak or think when my mind blanked out and I fell to the ground.

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"She's waking up!" I vaguely heard a voice.

My eyes suddenly opened and I found myself in the hospital…..again…..

I looked around the room flabbergasted and afraid about what happened to me a while ago.

"Sakura, are you alright?" asked mother who sat right by my side.

My head still had some pain, I'm guessing from the fall. I rubbed the back of it while processing everything that happened.

"Y-Yeah….I'm fine".

Mom took the job over for me and started massaging my head as Tsunade continued running some tests while talking with dad.

"Mom…..what happened?" I asked facing her.

She sighed, "Well…..I went out to run some paperwork for your father and while walking back home, I saw someone just lying on the ground. Of course the right thing to do was help, so I did. I had no idea it was you and when I actually saw your face, my motherly senses kicked and carried you all the way here. Tsunade has been here since early this morning, and she also contacted your father and told us what happened to you earlier today".

That's when everything started coming back to me.

Tsunade finished with the checkup, "Your energy is seriously drained Sakura. I don't want you working from here on out".

"What! But-"

Mother put her hand on my shoulder to calm me down, "No buts Sakura. Tsunade-san is right, we can't let you do anything that will strain your body. You know how much chakra it takes to heal patients, you really don't have that much left. Please…..for your father and I…..don't do anything rash".

There was no choice but to listen to her. I just nodded as father came and patted me on my back.

"That includes missions also" he stated.

It was aggravating to listen to all these things I couldn't do. I felt like some little kid. I guess for my sake, I should listen.

"Then what am I supposed to spend the rest of my life doing!?"

"It's not for the rest of your life Sakura" dad said.

Tsunade cut in, "He's right and I want you to stay home. You really shouldn't be going out. I think the reason why you fainted was because of the heat from the sun, am I right?"

"Yes……" I said sighing.

After my little checkup, I went home and did absolutely nothing. Mother wouldn't even let me near the kitchen stove or oven, thinking it would be too hot to let me work with.

Ever since Tenten, Temari, Hinata, and Ino heard about my condition they've tried coming over to visit me as much as they could.

I'm really thankful to have friends like them. Although recently, the problem hasn't really been surrounding me all this time. Tenten came over today and decided to spend the whole day with me.

I was glad that Shin took Wataru out and decided he wanted to show him the ANBU training force. Dad was out probably at some other conference and mom……she was out shopping with her sisters.

That left me sitting home alone in the afternoon in my room until I heard the doorbell ring.

I opened it and Tenten wrapped me into one of those huge bear hugs.

"T-Tenten………s-stop….."

"Oh sorry!" She said while pulling away from me and entering the house.

"You're totally soaked Ten! Do you want me to get you a towel?"

"That would be great, it's really pouring out there!"

I nodded in agreement and fetched a towel.

"Thanks Saku" she said while drying herself.

We both went up to my room and sat on my bed, "So…..what's up with you Tenten? I haven't really seen you in a couple weeks…."

I watched as she fiddled with her dragon symbol locket her mother gave her, "Ummmm…..it's…..interesting….."

"_Well if she's not looking me in the eye, then something interesting must be going on"._

"Well?" I asked, urging her to continue.

I saw her looking down, "It's about me and Neji…."

There was only one thing I could possible think of, and usually I don't even jump to conclusions thinking that my assumption would be correct.

"_She can't be…..could she?"_

"Tenten……are you p-pregnant!?" I asked while stumbling on the word pregnant.

She looked at me like I had a second head growing, "No! Are you crazy Sakura!? You know I would never _ever_ let Neji near me like _that! _I have morals".

I felt like a fool for even thinking something like that. Tenten would never be the kind of person to do something as unthinkable like that.

"Well what else could be the problem?"

She sighed, "Well….Neji was actually sent on a mission with Naruto, Shikamaru, Sai, Chouji and everyone else last week. A couple days ago I went to go see if Hinata was home. I was surprised to see her father answer the door instead of Gin-san. He gave me this dirty look like I didn't belong anywhere near the Hyuuga household. He said I was forbidden from seeing Neji ever again. He wanted _me _to do the breaking up with him. Afterwards Hiashi-san slammed the door in front of me".

My only response was to move closer and comfort her, "Do you remember anything else he said? There must have been some reason for you not to see Neji".

I waited for her response for a couple minutes until she spoke up again, "He said something about me not being of royal blood. That Neji should only associate with women of high status".

Suddenly I noticed she started tearing up. I've never seen Tenten like this before. I felt guilty just sitting here and not saying anything.

What was I supposed to do?

"What's wrong with me Sakura!?"

"There's nothing wrong with you Tenten. I suggest you don't even listen to what Hyuuga Hiashi says. All of this is complete bull crap. You and Neji belong together, and he doesn't even see how happy your guys are with each other. Forget about it. Once Neji returns, I'm sure everything will be just fine".

She smiled and wrapped me into that bear hug. This time, I wasn't so eager to get out of it. She needed to be comforted at a moment like this.

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Neji and the rest of his squad were supposed to return the day after. Tenten and I spent the whole day together. She and I planned to have dinner out tonight; I always love having dinner out with friends.

Here we are eating at the one and only Ichiraku. It has that nice comforting feel to it. Great service and of course the ramen is the main attraction. Tenten and I ordered the beef ramen, which is Teuchi-san's main specialty. I always like it when Ayame comes and chats with us.

"Hey Sakura, Tenten….how are you guys?"

"Great, how about yourself?" I asked.

She smiled, "life is wonderful. The ramen business is just flourishing with all these costumers. Well father and I could never have done it without Naruto. He's really what keeps this business booming".

Thinking of Naruto made me lose my appetite a little.

"_How am I still not over him?"_

"How's everything with Kiba Ayame?" Tenten asked.

She blushed, "He's great! I could never ask for someone better than him. How about you and Neji?"

I noticed Tenten's behavior changed slightly, "Oh we're…..okay. Everything's fine".

"That's good. Well….I should probably get back and help father with some of the takeout orders, but you two take care okay?"

"We will" I assured her as she waved and walked back into the kitchen.

Suddenly I heard a cell phone ring, it was Tenten's.

"One sec Saku, let me get this".

I watched as she flipped her simple blue phone open and answered plainly, "Hello?"

There was a pause and I saw a radiant smile etching her features, "Neji! How are you!? I missed you so much! How'd your mission go!?"

There was another pause. I'm guessing Neji said he's fine as well and he misses Tenten a lot and his mission went great. Neji never really went into detail in his answers.

I tuned out what seemed like a couple minutes until Tenten hung up and turned to face me, "Sakura! All the guys are going to be at the festival tonight, do you want to come?"

"I don't know……"

There she was giving me the puppy dog look, "Please?"

Sighing, I agreed, "Oh alright….."

She smiled and dragged me over to the location. It was a large plain field with different colorful lit up stands set up in different areas. There were balloons and little children running around begging their parents to buy all sorts of things. The night was beautiful; you could clearly see the stars in the black skies. It reminded me of that poem written by the first hokage I read years ago, his miracle in the night. I spotted Naruto playing one of the games trying desperately to win a prize with Chouji to his left trying to beat him.

I approached the two and greeted them, "Hey guys, how was the mission?"

They didn't seem to notice I was there. The game was currently of great importance to those two.

"Hello!?" I said while waving my hands in front of Naruto's face.

"Sakura-chan! I can't believe you made me lose! Now Chouji got that week's supple of ramen……"

"_So immature……"_

Then the others caught up to us and I noticed Neji and Tenten locking arms with each other.

"_Nothing can go wrong. Why can't that Hyuuga see that they belong together…."_

And then there was Hinata, staring at Naruto. It made me upset. The way she was looking at him. Life can be so hard, but like I promised, it's my turn to be selfless.

"So exactly what are we celebrating?"

Everyone else shrugged signaling they were unsure.

We all split up doing our own thing. I walked around the festival seeing all of the married couples holding hands and giving each other the 'googly eyes'. I was happy for them, but at the same time, upset.

"_Why can't I find someone?"_

I ignored the thought and suddenly Ryo came to mind. He wasn't even here. Then again, he doesn't seem like the type that would actually go to a festival.

Then someone got up on some elevated level, I'm guessing that was the stage, and spoke a few words.

It was Hiashi Hyuuga. I turned to find Hinata and Neji completely puzzled, probably wondering what he was doing here.

"Good evening everyone. This festival was a little short notice, but I hope you all are enjoying yourselves".

The whole time I just glared at him, "_What the hell is HE doing here? He spends his time talking politics and smack about his own daughter, there has to be some reason why he's actually out in public….."_

"Now you may all be thinking what exactly is the special occasion. Of course I would like everyone to have a good time once in a while, but yes, there is a reason".

Suddenly he held his hand out and gestured to someone who seemed to be standing on the other side of the stage.

The person came up, and it was totally unexpected. It was a woman. She wore a beautifully well-designed red kimono embroidered with dark green vines and leaves. Her eyes had the same color. They were creepy but at the same time, enticing. The woman's hair was a brown color, the same shade as Tenten's but it was disgustingly flat absolutely no shape to it. She wore some very stylish black glasses like she specially ordered them from a place like the tea country. Her skin was a little to pale for my taste, but her skin tone seemed to complement her outfit very well. She had a smirk on her face. Although I didn't know her at all, she looked like some snob.

Hyuuga Hiashi held her hand and raised it to the sky, "Everyone, meet Hyuuga Neji's fiancée".

**Author's Note: **I know, interesting right? Well that's why you need to keep reading and reviewing! Another chapter will be here soon!

Thanks again,

Sweetness.


	55. Family Disputes

**Author's Note: **hey everyone! Another long week has passed, and here is the weekend! I love Fridays, don't you all? Well I hope you guys liked the little surprise that happened last chapter, because more interesting things will be here is you continue on with this next chapter!

**Chapter 55: Family Disputes**

"_Neji's fiancée!? What in the world is going on here!?"_

Everyone ceased their clapping and loud murmurs were heard. Well why wouldn't they be curious? Everyone knows that he's with Tenten! At least up until now of course.

I looked beside me too afraid to look at both Neji and Tenten.

Neji was completely outraged, his jaw just dropped open and he stared at his father with a shocked look.

Seeing Neji's response made me not want to look at Tenten, but I just wanted to know what she was feeling at this very moment.

There she was in her simple but elegant light green kimono I remember Neji giving her when coming back from one of his missions from the water country. In her usual bun-kept hair was a large white water lily burette and her most treasured of all these gifts, the golden locket. Now Tenten was never one for jewelry but I remember Neji insisting that she kept it, and how she would wear this locket even on there wedding day.

Now it doesn't look like she'll be even having her wedding day.

Tenten's pained chocolate eyes continued to look at Hyuuga Hiashi and no words were able to come out of her mouth. She stood there planted refusing to even look at Neji.

"That concludes tonight's event, I hope you all enjoyed every moment of it. Please congratulate my nephew as the wedding will take place in a couple months. Thank you".

Everyone began to disperse except for my group of friends. We all had to support both Neji and Tenten at a time like this.

I noticed Hiashi having a conversation with Neji's fiancée and soon as she left, Neji marched over to him as the rest of us stood not that far behind. By looking at his infuriated face, I really wouldn't want to be Hiashi right now.

He's really in for it.

"What the hell Hiashi!? Didn't you notice the past four years I've been with _Tenten!?_ Just who was that woman? I refuse to marry her!" Neji seethed.

Hiashi placed a hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down, "Neji……please control yourself. I know the news is a little…….short notice but it will be good for you, I promise".

I watched as Neji pushed Hiashi's hand away, "_Good _for me!? I'm only 23! I wasn't planning on getting married anytime soon! I planned for my future to be with Tenten! Why are you doing this to me!?"

Hiashi sighed, "Neji…..I promise you that this is something which will be good for both you and the rest of the Hyuuga clan. This young woman who you will be meeting in a couple days is apart of the Hozuki clan, a highly looked upon family from the water village. Her family is very well affiliated with Danzo. Just how could you say no to her? She's beautiful, powerful-"

"I don't care how powerful she is! She's not the one I love".

I turned to see Tenten crying tears of joy as I smiled at the sight.

"Neji….ever since your father died. I've been you're caretaker haven't I?"

He didn't say anything but nod.

"Yes, I have. Now your father's wishes were for me to raise you as a _respectful _and _obedient_ individual. You spent your whole life to show your devotion to the Hyuuga clan. Yes you've mastered the Byaakugan in ways even your own father could not achieve, but as a Hyuuga, you also must respect what your elders have to say…….especially your father".

Neji didn't respond and Tenten couldn't watch. This time, she cried tears of heartbreak and betrayal.

"Tenten, where are you going!?" I asked her.

She didn't answer me, "S-Somewhere…….I-I'm sorry……"

Tenten left the rest of us without an answer. It was upsetting to see her this way. Usually she put up this tough exterior; I've really never seen her so devastated.

Then we all noticed Hinata walking up to both her father and Neji.

"_What is she doing?"_

Hiashi and Neji seemed to notice her presence, "Hinata, could you wait? This isn't any of your con-".

She cut him off, "It is my concern father. This is the life of _my _cousin we're talking about! You are forcing this marriage upon him without his own consent. Just who are you?"

He glared at her, "I am your father-"

Neji spoke up, "Hinata, please stop".

She still faced her father, "No Neji, this is a settlement between father and I".

He looked a little shocked, then again, we all were.

Hinata continued,"That's just it! You say you're my father, but do you ever recall a time when you have ever even once spent anytime with your children? A father is someone who is supposed to love you and cherish you".

"What are you talking about!? I have been doing my best to make you a successful heiress".

She raised her voice, "You've raised me to be an heiress to continue the Hyuuga family line! I'm talking about a _daughter_! All this time this is how I've been feeling, there were things which I couldn't even talk to Gin-san about, I needed _fatherly _support. Of course, that's something which I could never have because you were too involved in this ridiculous political hierarchy! All you care about is status and class. Hanabi and I have been nothing but unhappy all these years. I've been on missions where I've seen all these poor children playing with each other on the streets, who have all the love from their parents. Oh how I wished I could be like them, but I was cursed to have a father like you!"

"_Hinata……"_

Her father's response was completely unexpected. I thought he would welcome her back in his arms and hold her tightly kissing her forehead telling her how sorry she was.

He slapped her right in front of everyone.

Hinata held her reddened cheek and rubbed it while her father reprimanded her for talking back to him, "Insolent child…….how _dare _you talk to me like this!? You have no right! You are not worthy of the Hyuuga name!"

There was a long pause.

He continued speaking, "Yes…..that's right, you are not worthy of the Hyuuga name. All these years, you've shown nothing to be a weakling! You should have been born on the streets because of your uselessness. You've proven yourself not to be apart of this family! You are banished, don't you dare come back!"

I couldn't take this crap he was spouting. I was about to run over and slap the living daylights out of this man for hurting Hinata, but I was beaten to it.

Naruto ran over and stood up for her.

"You're the one who's been useless as a father! You talk like you want to help all these people, but you're only doing so to benefit yourself! Someone as generous, warm, and loving as Hinata shouldn't even have anything to do with the likes of you. It is a good thing she's not living at the Hyuuga household, it's kept her miserable and broken all these years. Now, she can be free".

Hiashi snorted, "What do you know about any of this!? You're just some lowlife orphan who's lived a life of shame".

"_Shame? What could be so shameful about Naruto?"_

Hinata took over, "Father you have no _idea _what you're talking about! Yes Naruto has no parents, but he was lucky enough not to be born with a life like mine. Without him, I don't think I would have even been able to stand up to you today. Watching Naruto all these years has made me realize that I can follow my heart rather than listening to people like you. Frankly I've had enough of all of this. Thank you for making me realize that I don't belong here in the Hyuuga clan".

He smirked, "Oh? And exactly where will you go?"

Naruto stood right beside Hinata and took hold of her wrist, "With me".

To that he laughed, "You can't be serious? Fine, go and live with this fool. Just don't come back".

"I don't plan on it" Hinata stated as she and Naruto walked back towards us.

"H-Hinata? W-Was that you!?" asked Ino.

Hinata smiled, "Yes…..the real me along".

Ino and I ran over and wrapped her into a hug, "We're all so proud of you Hina!" Ino squealed.

Soon after, everyone else left.

"Are you coming Sakura?" Hinata asked me.

I thought about it for a minute, "Actually……I had a couple things to do….I'll see you around later!"

She waved to me, "Oh….okay!"

Naruto smiled at me, "Are you sure you don't want to have a ramen date with me Sakura-chan?"

I looked at Hinata's face, she was smiling but you could tell that she seemed a bit hurt by what Naruto said.

"No thanks Naruto. You and Hinata should have some ramen together. She'll be staying with you from now on, so it'll be good for the two of you to get to know each other more".

"Okay then……bye Sakura-chan!"

I waved to the two of them and wandered over to a couple of booths still left over from the festival not too far from where Hiashi and Neji were standing.

I greeted a couple of the shopkeepers and perused the merchandise while leaning closer to the conversation between both of the Hyuugas.

"See that Neji? Hinata has proven herself not to be worthy of the Hyuuga name. You're better than that; you have a purpose here to carry on the name of your father".

"But Ten-"

Hiashi interrupted, "Tenten is not worthy of the Hyuuga name. Her family owns some blacksmith shop across the street. Would you really want to marry into a family that creates weapons? There is nothing impressive about that. I don't want you to ever see her again, this will help you to get over her quickly. Now will you follow in the footsteps of your disrespectful cousin, or will you stay with me and rightfully bear the Hyuuga name?"

The suspense was killing me. As long as I've known Neji, he's been devoted to his clan. It was always his first priority, but ever since he met Tenten…..it's possible he started to second guess himself.

"_If the relationship ends, what will happen to Tenten? She'll be heartbroken forever since Neji was the only man she ever loved……."_

I leaned in closer as Neji opened his mouth to speak, "Hiashi-san…I have been with Tenten for a while now and I will always love her but-"

"_Come on, say how you truly feel!"_

"I will marry this other woman with utter pride and dignity of the Hyuuga clan. I will do it for the elders, you, and my father. So that I may bring more power and unity to both of these clans".

"_What!?"_

Hiashi smirked, "Excellent. Let's go back home and we will arrange the wedding plans. You will meet your fiancée soon".

The two walked away and I was rendered speechless.

"_What is that idiot thinking!? Doesn't he realize that he's going to ruin both Tenten's and even his own life!?"_

There was nothing I could do at this moment. I didn't even want to tell Tenten that Neji agreed to his stupid uncle's marriage proposition.

It was getting late so I left back home and fell asleep.

The problem was I couldn't go back to sleep, I was left thinking about this whole thing.

It was interesting that this woman knows, well, _knew _Danzo. She gave me bad vibes, like for some reason, you just couldn't trust her.

Eventually I fell into deep slumber forgetting all of today's troubles; well at least, I thought I did.

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I woke up the next morning baffled while taking deep breaths and wiping my warm forehead.

"_Why do I keep having that same dream!?"_

It was the same dream where Konoha was nothing but destroyed and some mysterious man ran after me yelling, "GIVE IT TO ME!"

This dream was a little scary if you ask me. I forgot about it and got ready to go see Tsunade this morning.

After getting dressed in warm simple clothing I grabbed a small piece of buttered toast and went on my way to the hospital.

Walking outside was like walking in the snow country. It was pretty cold, but there wasn't any snow. It hardly snows in Konoha anyway. My body shivered and my white jacket was blowing in the howling wind.

"_At this rate, I'm going to get a cold!"_

I started sneezing and my nose looked a little red. Tsunade could have come visited me because of my low chakra flow in my body. Speaking of which, it's been getting better. I can go outside but my parents don't want me working in the hospital, afraid that I would end up catching something from the patience resulting in my body not producing enough chakra to fight of the infections.

Things were pretty quiet this morning I looked around all over the empty streets of the village until my eyes landed on a figure walking towards my direction. As I got closer I noticed whoever this was walking with someone else. Then I noticed the person was a young woman because she was giggling and squealing while the person next to her tried pushing her off of them. It looked like a guy to me.

"_Probably some young couple….."_

They stopped and started discussing things I couldn't really hear until I walked passed the alleyway where the two people were chatting. I didn't seem to notice much until something hit me.

The girl's hair was tied up into a ponytail, but it was the same flat hairstyle I recognized the night before. Those same enticing red eyes looked googly-eyed and a coy smile was plastered on her face. She tried stroking the young man's hair which he jerked away from.

The guy looked familiar to me. I couldn't see his face, but the back of his head was ringing bells in the back of my mind. It was black with this spikey style, when hearing him speak I could recognize the voice.

I took a couple sidesteps along the stone wall but remained close in distance to hear the conversation.

"Oh but Sas-"

"Shhhh! Don't call me that. We're in Konoha, if anyone even has any inkling of suspicion about me then I'm doomed".

The girl giggled a sick high-pitched giggle, "Okay then, but can't you just give me on little kiss? This was your plan for me to marry that long-haired freak anyway! Now you should reciprocate and do what _I _want".

"_Ughhh….ew she's trying to seduce this guy!?"_

I heard him take a couple steps back, "Not a chance. I'm the leader of this group, you got it? If there are any screw ups you'll get it from Madara".

She whined, "fine……but after all this I _better _get an award. I just can't believe that this Hyuuga guy looks like a girl! I was expecting him to be super hott like you Sas-"

Then I heard her voice muffled.

"Karin! What the hell did I just tell you!? Useless girl……"

I heard footsteps coming closer, signaling that those two were going to leave the alleyway.

Instinctively fear pulsed through me and I snuck away quickly to see Tsunade.

"_Her name's Karin? I had no idea that she'd be a slut!"_

Then everything hit me.

"_Wait a minute! Karin and that other guy were working for Madara! Is this whole marriage is a sham!?"_

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 55, did you like it? Review please!!!! It's a Sunday so I'm going to relax and you'll get another chapter filled with surprises and much more next week!

Take care, love you all!!!!

Sweetness.


	56. The Disguise

**Author's Note: **hey everyone! It's been a couple weeks. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. My grandfather passed away last Tuesday so I've been spending a lot of time with my family and I got so much work this past week. Now I'm really happy it's a Friday where I can just chill and relax! Now where were we?

Chapter 56!

**Chapter 56: The Disguise**

You know, it's been a couple weeks since I've seen that girl Karin. I haven't told a soul about her intentions along with Uchiha Madara.

Things just get even more confusing!

It's like everyone is linked towards Madara somehow.

My chakra is still blocked…..it's really weird…..I sometimes feel this burst of energy in my heart area. Tsunade checked up on me a couple days ago and said she couldn't even feel a surge of energy around my heart. There really hasn't been any energy flow.

I still believe there is, and that's what's keeping me alive right now.

Since I can't do much, I've been spending a lot of time with family and friends. My dad and I have become a lot closer than we used to. We started having those deep conversations when I was 16 years old.

Hinata's been fine. She and Naruto are really getting along. He still won't stop bugging me though!

But that will change soon ne?

The relationship between Ino and Sai is totally blossoming. I'm starting to think there's more to these two than meets the eye. He always paints portraits for her and recites beautiful poetry. I guess Sai can utilize his talents by impressing Ino.

I see it and there's this sudden emptiness inside of me. I can't really describe it.

Shikamaru goes over to Sunakagure so he can spend his sweet time with Temari.

Then there's Tenten………I haven't heard from her since the festival a few weeks ago.

Thinking of my friend made me decide on going to see her today.

I quickly went on with my daily routine of getting ready and finding something to wear.

Since this was something completely casual, I just threw on a pair of gray sweats with a light pink shirt underneath my sweatshirt. My long hair was tied up into a bun and I headed downstairs.

As my hand turned the doorknob mother came from out of the kitchen.

"Sakura, where are you going?"

I turned to face her as a smile formed on my face, "I'm going to see Tenten, I haven't talked to her in a while".

She nodded, "Oh okay. Have fun then!"

I smiled, "I will".

"Oh Saku".

"Yes mom?"

She raised her finger at me signaling to hold on. I watched as she went back into the kitchen and seemed to be looking for something as I heard stuff dropping and things shuffling.

It was taking forever, _"I should probably see what she's doing"._

I walked closer until mother's head immediately popped back outside towards the foyer where I was standing.

"Sorry Saku! You received an invitation from the Hyuuga family".

My eyebrow rose, "For what?"

She opened the white envelope embroidered with all sorts of appealing golden designs. I stood there waiting for her to read it.

Mother finished and handed it to me, "It's an engagement party".

"_An engagement party!?"_

I reached my hand out towards her, "Let me see it".

She handed it to me and walked back into the kitchen as I took my time and read:

_**Dearest guest,**_

**You are cordially invited to the Hyuuga engagement party. I announced my son's engagement a couple nights ago at the festival. Please arrive promptly at precisely 7:00 P.M. as this event shall take place in the Hyuuga residence. Please dress in formal attire. That means men in suits and ladies should wear a dress of some sort. Since this is a night of jovial celebration, you are free to bring anyone you like.**

**I will see you tonight.**

**Hyuuga Hiashi.**

I sealed the invitation and placed it on the counter.

"Thanks for letting me know mom! Love you, bye!!!!"

I shut the door behind me and rushed over to Tenten's place. I was literally shivering the whole way there, it was freezing. It's never cold in Konoha. The change was so dramatic.

I passed by a couple of hair places and salons and find women getting themselves all prettied up for this occasion.

"_Big deal…..its just some stupid engagement party! This upcoming marriage is a total sham!"_

The gust of wind literally gave me goose bumps, causing me to speed up my pace and eventually arrive over to Tenten's house.

I knocked on the door calling her name, "Tenten? Are you in there?"

The door creaked open and from it, I could only see one dark brown eyeball. She must have recognized me when she immediately pulled the door all the way open and sighed in relief.

"Oh Sakura, it's only you".

I gave her a suspicious look, "Yeah….who else it would it be?"

She just shrugged it off, "No one….."

Tenten walked over to the kitchen, "Sakura, can I get you something to eat or drink?"

I nodded and sat down on her couch, "I'm fine Ten. Sit with me! I haven't talked to you in a while. How have you been?"

She sighed and sat down next to me, "I…..haven't been myself…."

I nodded sympathetically, "I know…you haven't called me or anyone else ever since…..the announcement".

Tears immediately sleeked down her cheeks. Tenten's tough exterior vanished, leaving her in a vulnerable state.

"D-Did h-he……..a-accept?" she asked while trying her best not to choke up and break down in front of me.

I didn't want to say anything, but I knew she would force it out of me no matter how much the truth would hurt.

My mouth couldn't bear to say those words.

Tenten's tears ceased falling and she stared at me with her tear-stained face, "Sakura?"

I involuntarily nodded, signaling to her that I wouldn't say anything.

She moved closer and tapped my shoulder, "Sakura?"

I focused my attention elsewhere, but of course she was too smart for that.

Tenten used both of her hands and shook me until I told her what actually happened, "Sakura!? What happened!?"

My dry mouth opened and I had the courage to tell her, "Ummm…..when you left, Hinata went and stood up for Neji. She argued against her father and fought for what was right. He banished her from the Hyuuga household and Naruto took her in. Everyone else left but I decided to stay and kind of…….eavesdrop into the conversation".

Tenten's expression remained emotionless; it reminded me a lot of Ryo.

"Get to the point Sakura".

I bit my lip prepared to tell her, "Neji………accepted the proposal……"

Tenten't breath hitched and she trembled. Tears flowed out of her chocolate-brown eyes and I gave her my shoulder to cry on. It went on for a little more than five minutes until Tenten raised her head up and faced me, "Sakura……w-why? Why did he do it!?"

Seeing Tenten like this made me want to cry, but I couldn't. I wanted to be strong for her.

"I….I think he said he is doing this for his family. He wanted to do this out of respect for his father".

Tenten seemed like she understood, "I guess if my Neji is happy to agree to this marriage to make his family happy, then I'm happy".

We both sat still in total silence for a while until she spoke back up again, "Saku….do you want to spend the rest of the day with me? We can go out to dinner and stuff like we did before".

As much as I wanted to, I had to let Tenten down.

"Actually Ten…..I have to be somewhere by 7:00".

"Oh really? Where?"

"_Must she pressure me into telling her!?"_

"A party" I plainly stated.

She smiled laughing at me, "What kind of party?"

I took a deep breath, "An engagement party".

She smiled, "Oh! Someone's getting married! That's so nice! Whose is it?"

"Neji's".

Tenten's face fell and I regretted telling her.

"So…..you got an invite?" she asked me.

I nodded, "Yeah…..I did……."

Suddenly an idea hit me.

"Tenten!"

My excitement startled her a little, "What's up?"

The smile did not leave my face, "The invitation says that I can bring ANYONE, so I thought why not bring you?"

She looked at me like I was crazy or something, "No way Sakura".

I pouted, "Why not!?"

She glared at me, "Saku, don't you understand how much pain I'm going through right now!? I mean…..don't you think it's best for Neji and I not to see each other for a while? He needs to have some time to get used to his wife-to-be. Anyway…..Hyuuga Hiashi wants the two of us to stay away from each other. It's going to be a big problem if I go".

"Tenten…..at least congratulate him. You can at least show how happy you are for him. Besides, you've been stuck here at home moping. It's time you spend some time with me and everyone else".

"Okay fine…..but how am I going to get passed Hiashi!? That's the major problem".

I spent a little time thinking and finally came up with a solution, "Disguise yourself".

Her mouth dropped wide open, "Are you kidding me!?"

I raised a finger, "No I am not kidding you. Disguises work, trust me on this. We just have to find a really clever one that no one can recognize you!"

It was her turn to make a point, "Okay….but my mannerisms are going to be a big issue. Neji knows every single thing about me. He's a sharp guy, and with his Byakuugan, he'll be impossible to deceive".

"You're habits aren't THAT obvious".

She put her hands on her hips and gave me 'the look'.

I sheepishly grinned, "Okay maybe they are! Just try making them less obvious".

She nodded as I continued, "So let's go out into the market area and see what we can find".

We headed out, browed, and bought everything we needed and went back to Tenten's house.

We both got ready at her place and because it was a fancy occasion, I decided to go with my inch past knee-length sleeveless white dress with a black waist belt. I wore a simple pair of high heels only an inch long. I decided not to wear any makeup because I am a proud individual. My hair was tied into an elegant French braid with a beautifully designed white-flowered burette to go with it. My small ears were adorned with a small pair of crystal clear earrings, and to tie the outfit together, I wore a half sleeve black cardigan over the dress.

Then I turned to Tenten who was looking at herself in the mirror. She looked a little bit hesitant about how things were going to turn out. She was absolutely stunning.

Tenten kept those large chocolate brown eyes of hers but on top of her head was a very light brown wig streaked with subtle blonde. It reached down to her mid back and the bangs absolutely made everything look better. She decided to be more traditional and wear a kimono. It was a sky-blue color with a silver sash and embroidery. Like me, she also didn't wear any make up. Tenten wore a simple pair of white flats and a small pair of silver studs.

"Tenten! You look great!"

She blushed, something you will never see with Tenten.

"Thanks Saku, you don't look so bad yourself…..I do think that we should think up of a name for me. Tenten is pretty unique and people will start getting suspicious".

I nodded in agreement, "Let's give you a name that starts with the letter T. How about…….Tamiko?"

She shrugged probably not caring about her alias, "That's fine".

Both of us headed to the Hyuuga household. It was dark outside and the streets were totally empty.

"_Everyone must be invited to this engagement party"._

The further we walked, the noisier things became. There were people talking and murmuring all over. Then I could hear a piano playing in the distance. Tenten and I made our turn and arrived at the Hyuuga complex. It was decorated with all sorts of colorful lights on the outside and I was dying to find out what was going on inside.

Tenten, or should I say Tamiko, and I walked over to the front doorstep. We were both a little nervous, well, she was probably a lot more nervous than I was.

I raised my index finger and prepared to enter the Hyuuga household and see how Tenten would react to seeing him.

**Author's Note: **End of chapter!!!! Well? What did you think? I shall update soon! Don't forget to review please!

Thanks a lot!

Sweetness.


	57. Doing the Unthinkable

**Author's Note: **Hey again! Well there's really not much to say so……here's the next chapter!

**Chapter 57: Doing the Unthinkable**

Without any hesitation, I rang the door open and waited for someone to answer the door.

I turned to 'Tamiko', "Are you ready?"

She nodded, but I could tell it was a little nerve-wracking for her.

The large wooden doors opened revealing the face I wanted to greet the two of us.

"Ah Sakura, I'm so glad you're here!"

I immediately wrapped Gin-san into a tight hug, "It's so good to see you".

We finished embracing each other and Gin-san turned to 'Tamiko'.

"Well who do we have here?" she asked while stretching her hand out for a firm handshake.

Tenten smiled back and shook hands with Gin-san, "Hi, I'm Tamiko….Sakura's friend".

Gin-san's warm smile did not leave her face, "Well any friend of Sakura's is welcome. It's a pleasure to meet you Tamiko, please come in girls".

We followed her inside the Hyuuga complex and it was crowded full of people!

The house was beautifully decorated with lights and all sorts of flower arrangements. A buffet was set up in the foyer for the guests to enjoy and in the great hall, the area where the actual event was supposed to take place, was a small orchestra. The music really was soothing to the ears. There was the sleek onyx-colored piano with ivory keys, a violinist dressed in an elegant yellow dress, and the harpist sitting beside the pianist who had such a talent for mastering this kind of an instrument.

As the music played, I took everything in.

The exquisite beige-marbled floor was polished and I was able to see my own reflection in it. The perfect sized round tables had white linen silk cloths on top adorned with vases filled with white roses. Smack dab in the middle of the large room was a fountain. Of course it was of a beautiful angel opening her mouth as water flowed from it.

I looked around trying to find anyone that I knew. Hinata and Naruto wouldn't be here because of well……..you know.

There was Ino pulling Sai away from the art and architecture adorning the room, probably trying to tell him to pay attention to her.

Chouji sat down at one of the tables gorging on tonight's meal as Shikamaru and Temari gave him completely disgusted looks.

Rock Lee and Gai-sensei were pestering Kurenai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and Anko sensei about youth.

After all this time, it's _still _really annoying.

Then I saw Hyuuga Hiashi conversing with one of the elders about who knows what.

I looked at Tenten and she looked a little squeamish. She was probably nervous that her disguise made her look too obvious.

"Tenten…are you okay?" I whispered.

She nodded, "N-No…..especially since Hyuuga Hiashi is coming towards our direction!"

I followed her gaze and watched the said man come towards us.

"Good evening Sakura".

I gave him a fake smile, hoping he would leave right afterwards.

"Hello Hiashi-san".

Oh how much did I want to call him baka….this man didn't even deserve the title san.

He turned to Tenten, "Who might you be?"

I spoke up, "This, Hiashi-san, is my good friend Tamiko".

He raised a brow, "Oh well it's a pleasure to meet you Tamiko-san. I know everyone in this village, how come I have never seen you before?"

My mouth opened about to speak until Hiashi baka cut me off, "Excuse me Haruno-san, but I believe Tamiko-san is more than capable of speaking for herself".

"_Jerk…."_

"Well……I came from one of our neighboring villages, the tea country. Sakura and I have known each other since we were little girls. Our fathers became friends ever since they were placed on a mission together, uniting the two countries".

Hiashi nodded in understanding, "I see….well the Tea country is truly a beautiful place. I hope you enjoy your stay here in Konoha and Sakura I think you should introduce your friend to Neji".

"Who is Neji?" 'Tamiko' played along asking.

Hiashi smiled, "Hyuuga Neji is the young man who recently was pronounced engaged. He is my nephew, such a properly-raised young man he's turned out to be. Actually he's over there talking to one of his colleagues; I will call him over to introduce you right now".

Tenten had an alarmed look on her face, "Oh Hiashi-san…..thats really not nece-"

He interrupted her, "Oh of course it's necessary! If you are attending this event you should at least meet and congratulate him".

Before she could say anything Hiashi yelled Neji's name, "NEJI!"

Neji had this really irritated look on face and reluctantly came over to greet the three of us. The suit he wore did suit him very well. A white rose was placed on his right pocket. I noticed that his hair was cut a little bit shorter for this occasion. His large opal eyes made it obvious that he did not want this engagement to happen.

He came over and greeted me, "Hey Sakura".

I smiled, "Hey Neji".

Afterwards there was an awkward silence until Hiashi spoke up, "Neji….I would like to introduce you to a friend of Sakura's".

He pointed to 'Tamiko' and Neji's face immediately was stunned.

"This is Tamiko of the Tea country. Tamiko, this is my nephew Neji".

Again I could feel awkward tension in the air as both of their eyes met.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Neji" she greeted while shaking his hand.

He continued to stare at her without saying anything until Hiashi reprimanded him for doing so.

"Neji?" he whispered.

Neji snapped out of his trance and returned the handshake, "The pleasure it all mine".

"Well, I'll let you three chat for a little bit. I must attend to a matter at hand, enjoy yourselves" he said while walking away.

Neji suddenly turned to me, "Sakura, may I talk to you for a minute?"

I shrugged, "Sure".

He led me to the corner of the room as I admired all of the couples dancing to the slow music, it made me burn with jealousy inside.

"Sakura….that girl Tamiko, have I met her before?"

I gave him this slightly odd look, "Uhhh….no. Why would you say that?"

Neji stared back at 'Tamiko' who helped herself to the buffet, "She just looks so…..familiar to me that's all. She reminds me of someone but I can't put my finger on it".

"Why don't you talk to her? You know, just to get to know each other more" I slyly suggested.

Neji nodded, "Why not? Well, I'll be back Sakura" he said while walking towards 'Tamiko' who fought with another girl for the last piece of garlic bread.

"_Tenten is going to kill me for doing this, but, I think it's going to help the two of them…."_

I watched Tenten's reaction as soon as Neji came up to her. She stood still with her face completely flushed.

There was no way I could hear the conversation with all this loud noise, so I decided to leave those two along for the night. I walked over to where Chouji was sitting still eating.

Sometimes it makes me wonder if he has more than one stomach.

"Hey Chouji" I greeted.

"Hey Sakura! Long time no see eh?"

I smiled and sat down next to him, "So….how have things been?"

He gulped down his piece of steak and proceeded to talk to me, "Things have been okay I guess. I've been training a lot with Shikamaru and Temari, so my skills have definitely been increased. Plus, all these meals really help to increase my energy. How are you doing?"

I sighed, "I've been fine, just really stressed out with the jewel thing".

He nodded, "Yeah I know. Lady Tsunade has been making me, Ino, and Shikamaru do double the amount of work. She's been talking to all sorts of people and investigating into all sorts of things, but, tonight is a night of total relaxation Sakura. You should let all of those worries go and enjoy yourself".

Talking to Chouji made me feel a lot better, "I guess for tonight I can".

He took a sip of his water, "Good, so…..are you and Naruto getting along with Ryo?"

Thinking of Ryo made me angry but happy at the same time, it was such a weird feeling. Angry, because he mysteriously disappeared a couple weeks ago but happy because he just……completes me…..

I smiled while thinking of him, "Well….Naruto and Ryo have these little competitions, I think it's sort of funny. They act so childish, but I think Ryo has come to acknowledge Naruto as a friend".

"Oh? And how about the two of you?" he questioned further.

"I thought of Ryo as a complete jerk at first, Well……he still can be, but he also has his good moments too. Overtime we've become somewhat friends, and I hope it stays that way".

Chouji formed a smirk on his face, something I've never seen him do unless there was something he knows that I don't.

"Are you sure he just thinks of you as a friend?"

I had no idea where he was getting at, "Well….yeah I guess. I haven't seen him in a while so I'm assuming we're still on good terms".

He chuckled, "That's not what I meant Sakura. I mean don't you think he thinks of you as….._more _then a friend?"

The question caused heat to rise in my body and I started noticing a smile wanting to crack on my face.

Thankfully, I was able to control myself.

"More than friends? What would make you say that? Ryo and I don't have that kind of relationship. We just have small conversations and go on missions, that's it……there's nothing more to it".

"Well why is he staring at you then?" Chouji pointed out.

"_What? He's here!?"_

I turned my head to where Chouji was looking and found Ryo leaning against the wall looking indifferent as ever, but he was staring at me.

"_What the-does he find me amusing in anyway!? What a creep!"_

Although it was Neji's party, Ryo seemed to be getting most of the attention from the entire female population in Konoha. He acted like they didn't exist, instead, his gaze was still focused on me. I was too embarrassed to look right back at him, so I turned back and faced Chouji.

"See what I mean?"

I brushed it off like it was nothing, "Chouji, it's possible that Ryo is just staring out into space. Everyone does that".

He scoffed at my theory, "When people stare out into space their eyes involuntarily move around the entire room. His eyes were _fixed _on you Sakura! He looked like he _wanted_ you. It's like Ryo is the predator and you're his prey. He'll do anything at all costs just to have you".

That little analogy disturbed me. Thankfully Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, and Temari came from the dance floor.

"Hey guys!" I greeted thankful for their presence.

"Hey Saku!" Ino greeted while wrapping me into one of her usual big bear hugs.

We all sat, conversed, and enjoyed dinner. Being with friends takes all of the stress and worries away.

After everyone finished, Neji and 'Tamiko' came and joined us.

"Everyone, this is Tamiko, Sakura's friend. She came from the tea country and is staying here in Konoha for a while".

"Nice to meet you Tamiko!" yelled Ino.

'Tamiko' returned the greeting and sat down next to Neji, while silently pleading for me to get her away from him.

Then Hiashi walked up to the middle of the room and tapped his glass signaling for everyone to stop and listen.

"Hello everyone, I want to thank each and every one of you for making an effort to come and enjoy yourselves at the Hyuuga household. Today is not only a day of uniting with the rest of your friends and the other villagers, but also, the unison of two families. My dear nephew, Neji, has showed his maturity as he takes the biggest step of his life. It will being happiness and prosperity not only to himself, but also, for the rest of us. In a couple months he shall wed Hozuki Karin, who will bring him joy for the rest of his life. The two will bring peace to both the Hyuuga and Hozuki clans for eternity. Please join me in this celebration by honoring these two individuals with a toast.

He raised his goblet to the ceiling as everyone else did the same. Everyone at my table was reluctant to do so. I watched both Neji and Tenten's expressions. Neji looked as if he predicted a future of utter despair, as if he was only agreeing to this marriage for his father not for himself. Tenten's expression did not say otherwise. Heartbreak was written all over her face, she too couldn't imagine a future without Neji.

After the toast, everyone clapped and Hiashi dragged Hanabi to the dance floor to celebrate.

She unwillingly followed suit and feigned happiness for her father. I know for a fact both Hinata and Hanabi were very close to Neji all of these years and wanted the best for him.

"Everyone, the night is young! Please come and dance the night away!"

Everyone else got up from their seats and began dancing. I watched as Neji turned to 'Tamiko' and smiled.

"Tamiko….would you care to join me for a dance?"

She was hesitant.

"N-Neji-san…..I don't think that's a good idea. It is your engagement party after all; you should be dancing with your fiancée".

He frowned at her response, "Just one, I promise".

She didn't even bother to give a second thought, "Well….I suppose…."

Neji immediately grabbed her hand and rushed over to the dance floor. He placed his hands delicately around her petite waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was like the two were completely oblivious to the world around them.

I pushed my chair a little forward to hear the conversation; I know what you're thinking…..it's wrong and a complete invasion of their privacy! I'm Tenten's friend, and I have a right to know.

"Tamiko…..your eyes…..they remind me of someone so well…."

She continued to stare back at him, "Who?"

Neji couldn't take his eyes off of her, he really was madly in love. At his own engagement party, Hyuuga Neji did the unthinkable…….

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He kissed her.

That was definitely going to being some attention.

Tenten pushed him away as the music stopped and Hiashi angrily made his way through the crowd.

"HYUUGA NEJI! WHAT IS THIS!?"

He didn't even answer. This entire time, Neji kept his eyes on 'Tamiko'.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" Hiashi demanded to know.

Tenten's breath hitched, causing Hiashi to stare at her for some reason. He seemed to notice something as he placed his hand on her 'hair'. Neji looked at Hiashi like instead there was something wrong with him. Hiashi tore the wig off of Tenten's head and murmurs and gasps were heard everywhere.

She looked humiliated, embarrassed, and upset. Tenten was prepared to run away until Neji grabbed her hand.

"T-Tenten!?"

**Author's Note: **Well that was interesting…….I hope you liked it, because there is _plenty _more to come! So review please!!!!!

Thanks,

Sweetness.


	58. The Attack

**Author's Note: **Heyyy!!! Okay so I've mainly been getting reviews from basically the same two people, can everyone else whose been reading actually REVIEW!??!?!?

Well here's the next chapter!

**Chapter 58: The Attack**

She couldn't look at him straight in the eye, Tenten fought and struggled for Neji to let go of her.

Hiashi pushed the two away from each other and turned to Tenten while nearly choking her while tightly grasping the collar of her kimono.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU WRETCH!?" he seethed.

During this kind of a situation Tenten could barely even gasp for breath.

"Hiashi, let her go!" Neji demanded.

The said man, without any hesitation whatsoever, threw Tenten on the hard marble floor.

My friend and I couldn't sit there and watch, we immediately ran to the scene as I checked for any injuries. Unfortunately, because of my chakra blockage, I was not able to use any healing techniques.

Thankfully, Tenten just had a slight bruise on the side of her face which came in contact with the floor.

Hiashi kicked a piece of glass lying on the floor and angrily confronted his nephew, "HYUUGA NEJI, JUST WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH THIS….FILTH!"

Neji took a step forward and glared at his uncle, "How dare you call her filth! You're the filth! You, Hiashi, have destroyed my life not Tenten! As long as I've been living with you, not once did you ever think about my needs! All you cared for was this clan. I am your nephew; I am PART of this clan! If you as the Hyuuga leader are not willing to focus on what is best for your own blood, then you are not doing any sort of favor to the Hyuuga name. I have devoted my life to you! There has never been a moment in which I was ever respected, and now I've learned that someone as selfish as you is not worthy of any respect".

Everyone in the room just sat there staring, including Hiashi, waiting for Neji to continue.

"Don't you dare force me to marry that ugly tramp. I was blind to see what should have been more important and what has been bringing me happiness all of these years. That happiness is the very woman you brought down in front of everyone in shame on the floor. I always have and always will love Tenten with all my heart and if you cannot accept her, then you cannot accept me into this family".

And with that, Neji walked towards us staring at Tenten the whole time.

There she was with her natural non-streaked darker brown hair sprawled on the floor along with her silver sash untied. Although she looked unconscious, she looked peacefully asleep. It was like Neji's presence washed away all of her worries.

Neji bent down in front of Tenten, and without saying another word, he picked her up and left.

We were all left dumbfounded.

"_Maybe it's best to just leave them alone…."_

Everyone remained quiet, and at that point, there was no choice but to leave. All of us dispersed and I wandered the halls looking for Gin-san. The different hallways and corridors of the household were silent.

It was interesting…..tonight was the engagement party of two people. I saw Neji, but Karin was no where in sight.

My question was answered when I heard a high-pitched feminine voice squeal and giggle.

"_What the?"_

I walked toward the voice and caught a glimpse of a young woman dressed in a long, sleek black dress. It was up to her mid thigh and it was completely bareback. She really was naked from the back area; it made me sick to just look at her. Karin's glasses looked like they came from some stylish magazine. They too were black with tiny silver studs on the corners. Her nasty flat flaming red hair was left open and she literally cat walked in her three inch high-heeled shoes. Her face was COVERED with what looked like five pounds of make up! I was wondering how she could even breathe with those chemicals on her face. In her hand was a goblet filled with Shinshu wine as she enjoyed laughing and talking with someone. The thing was, part of the wall covered the person she was with. I could tell it was a man though. His voice was smooth and deep. It sounded so familiar, drawing me in with every word every sentence.

Whoever this guy was……it looked like Karin was getting a little _too _comfortable with him. Neji and Karin didn't even care for each other. I mean all she did was flirt with other guys as he acted completely indifferent and focused his time and energy on pleasing Hiashi, but subconsciously, he kept his mind on Tenten.

Could this be the guy she's in love with?

Although I think that someone like Karin would never be able to fall in love because of her promiscuity.

You never know, it could happen.

The thought made me depressed that even _she _out of all people actually had someone to cherish her moments with.

I walked away, avoiding to get caught or arousing any suspicion. The very person I was looking for sat in the family room flipping through something while sitting on the comfy crème couch.

"Gin-san!"

She smiled at me, "Oh hello Sakura, are you enjoying yourself tonight?"

"The party is actually over….and I haven't really enjoyed myself".

Gin-san nodded, "I know about what happened. Hiashi-san locked himself up in his office and refuses to come out and speak to anyone. Where is Neji?"

"Neji took off with Tenten somewhere…." I stated.

She gave me a surprised look, "Tenten? She was here?"

I nodded, "Well…she was actually 'Tamiko' in disguise".

Gin-san chuckled, "No wonder she looked so familiar…..those mannerisms and those same eyes have definitely grown on me".

I gazed at what Gin-san was looking through. It was a large brown album embroidered with golden leaf shape patterns on the cover.

"What's this album for?" I asked curiously.

She continued looking at the pictures, "These are the happy memories of the Hyuuga household, when Hiashi-san's wife was still around. Everyone was so close. Hiashi-san actually prioritized his family before anything else".

"_That's so hard to believe…."_

"They loved each other so much. Along with his wife, Hiashi-san wanted to train all three children to become strong individuals. It was the happiest I have ever seen all of them. Hanabi never acted up and rebelled against her father's wishes, Neji was not bound to this family because it was his duty, and Hinata lived her young life without any misery or pain in her heart. After so many years, everything completely changed. Thing will never be the same again for everyone. I keep this album with me to remember all of the good times they had together".

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fought back to keep them from falling.

"I…Its amazing what love does to people Gin-san. It completely changes everything about the other person".

Gin-san nodded, "Ah, yes it does. Like many other women of the time, I lived a simple life in which women were not allowed to be educated. My family forced me to marry at only age 14. It was to my cousin, Shichiro. We actually lived in the stone village but moved and settled here in Konoha to raise a family in a place filled with opportunities. Although it was an arranged marriage, Shichiro and I cared for each other so much. We were so attached and people always said that they have never seen a marriage with such a bond like he and I shared. For many years, he suffered of diabetes. Bacteria ate up his skin and Shichiro had no choice but to get his foot amputated. For many years, he had to be treated and never really returned home because of his condition. The disease eventually killed him at only age 71, and although I knew it was going to happen, I still couldn't face the fact that the love of my life was gone forever. Even with some support with family, I still was not able to let go of him. The pain was unbearable, but over time, I have become a stronger individual. His death taught me to cherish my loved ones and here I am still keeping his memories in my heart forever".

As long as I've known Gin-san, never did I think she lived this kind of a life. Never did I think that someone like her could suffer something so tragic. Losing and gaining love really does gain people. Gin-san didn't lose her love for her now deceased husband; she still cares for him as much as she did during the first couple years of their marriage.

For the rest of the night, I spent it with Gin-san telling each other stories and looking through the pictures discussing what everyone was like at the time.

"Well Gin-san, I loved spending time with you, but I really must be getting home. I promise I'll come back soon!"

She waved to me, "Please do! I always love it when you visit me Sakura".

I smiled and left the Hyuuga household. The night was getting increasingly colder.

"_What's going on with the weather!?"_

The goose bumps covering my skin sent me internal messages to move faster. Eventually I got home and got ready for bed.

My blinds remained open as I watched the full moon shine on my walls. It was so beautiful to see it this way. To me, the moon was always something serene, calm, and mysterious. That description perfectly fit Ryo. The image of him staring at me lingered in my mind.

"_Where did he go afterwards?"_

As all of tonight's events replayed in my mind, I eventually fell asleep while wrapping my extra blankets around me.

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I woke up the next morning freezing!

"_Who turned the temperature down!?"_

Getting up from my bed, I walked towards the middle of the hallway to adjust the thermometer. The weird thing was, it reached its maximum heat.

I went back in my room to cover myself from head to toe with warm clothing. While walking downstairs, Wataru seemed to be looking for me.

"Sakura nee chan!"

"_That's weird….he only calls me that when there's an emergency…."_

"Whats up Wataru?"

"Did you look outside!? There's ice all over!"

I immediately ran to the nearest window to look outside. Wataru was right, every inch of the village was covered with ice!

He ran with me downstairs to see mom, dad, and Shin.

"Where did all this ice come from?"

Shin proceeded to open his mouth when a loud explosion interrupted him coming from the other side of the village.

"_That signal can only mean one thing……..we're under attack…."_

**Author's Note: **Well? What did you think!?!?! REVIEW ALL OF MY READERS PLEASEEEEEEEE!!! IF YOU DO YOU WILL GET MORE INTERESTING SURPRISES COMING UP SOON IN THIS STORY!

Trust me,

Sweetness.


	59. Promises

**Author's Note: **Hey! So I'm glad you all liked this last chapter, because here's another one!

**Chapter 59: Promises**

The deafening siren was heard near the ANBU black cop station towards the other side of Konoha.

Father immediately set his coffee down on the table as the rest of us watched him get ready to defend his village.

Shin stood up, "Dad, who could be attacking us?"

Dad strapped his warm winter leg specialized ANBU boots as he answered my brother's question, "I don't know, but I'm going to find out soon".

"I'm going with you" Shin stated.

Without even looking at him, "No", he said.

Shin gave father an appalled look, "But dad, I'm 21 years old! I have been training over at the ANBU academy for a moment like this. I feel useless just staying here and doing nothing…"

Dad finished putting on his gear as mother pleaded him not to go, "Takashi please! For me….please don't go!"

He turned from the door and kissed mother in the cheek, "I must……it is my duty to this village".

She held on to his sleeve like a little child, "Duty? You have served this village for as long as I can remember! Just for once….let the other ANBU take care of it".

Much to mother's dismay, he nodded, "Rina….I love you and the kids with all of my heart, but, I need to do what's right for the village. I promise that I will come back safely".

Mother started trembling and tears flowed from her identical green eyes. Words were not able to come out of her mouth, the two stood there in the moment.

After a while, they broke eye contact and father embraced the three of us. Shin and Wataru were not going to let father go easily.

"Dad, you didn't answer my question" Shin reminded.

"Shin….maybe we can save this for another time. You may not think so, but you are doing something to help me".

He directed the conversation towards the both of us, "You two are responsible for watching out for your mother and Wataru while I'm gone. Without the four of you, it would be worse than dying".

I was rendered speechless after that last statement. This has always been one of the reasons I admired my father, he had something which I've been striving for……courage……

He has given me the courage to defend what's important to me, my family. Since this was father's wish, I was going to fulfill it.

Without another word, he left. He left the four of us with a mystery of if he would come back alive or not.

I was going to believe in him…..I was going to believe that father was one of those people who keep their promises. I will remain strong and wait for his return.

"Sakura nee-chan?"

I turned to see Wataru staring at me worriedly.

"Yes Wataru?" I asked while sitting next to him on the couch in the family room.

He paused, gathered his thoughts together, and continued, "D..Do you think dad will actually come back?"

I held his hand tightly and squeezed it for support, "Yes….he promised mom didn't he?"

He just nodded and smiled at me.

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It's been a couple hours, and there hasn't been a single call from dad or any of the ANBU black cops for that matter.

I was starting to get worried, but for everyone else, I had to be strong.

For the remainder of the day, I stayed in my room lying down in my bed in thought.

All sorts of questions were running through my mind, but unfortunately, I didn't have the answers.

The home phone rang and sounded all throughout the house. It stopped after a couple seconds, signaling that someone must have picked up.

I shut my eyes trying to think of things which had nothing to do with what was happening right now.

Ryo.

"_RYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYORYO…..WHY IS HE ALWAYS IN MY MIND!!!!!!!! THIS STUPID ATTRACTION BETTER GO AWAY!"_

Seeing him at the engagement party last night made me think of him a little differently. I always get annoyed whenever he would appear in my mind, but for some reason, I wanted him to stay embedded in my thoughts forever. I'm not a teenager anymore, so what could these feelings be?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard someone a loud thud downstairs.

"_What was that?"_

Instead of sitting here and doing nothing, I ran back downstairs and found mother lying on the floor.

I screamed for Wataru and Shin to come down and help.

"What the hell happened to mom Sakura!?" Shin demanded.

I rubbed my temples and nodded, "I don't know! I found her like this. Just help me lift her up and get her on the couch".

We did so and I ran into the kitchen to retrieve an ice pack for her forehead.

Mother looked unconscious. I didn't know if she was having any internal bleeding, but even if she was, I wasn't able to heal her because of my current chakra blockage.

"Shin, I think it's best if we take her to Tsunade".

He nodded, "Let's go".

The three of us left as Shin carried mother. It was freezing outside, and we had to be careful from slipping on any of the ice. I discovered that the more I ran, the more my energy drained quickly. The organs in my body were not able to pump any chakra into my system, and I was feeling weak.

Thankfully we reached the hokage tower in time and found Tsunade frantically contacting officials from other villages for help. She looked even more distressed after seeing mother in her current state.

"What happened?" she asked.

"She fainted" Wataru stated.

Shin laid mother on the ground as Tsunade examined her while the three of us anxiously waited for a couple of minutes.

"It's nothing serious…..you're mother is just in a state of shock. I called her when one of the ANBU officials contacted me reporting your father's status".

"Well?" Shin urged.

"Well….you're father was severely injured and had be taken to the emergency room".

Shin, Wataru, and I were rendered speechless as she continued.

"A witness said that one of the enemy infiltrators stabbed your father in an area quite close to his cardiovascular cavity. He is current being treated in the intensive care unit. I had a large group of soldiers stand guard in all areas within and out of the hospital".

"So what are the three of us supposed to do now?" Shin asked.

She sighed, "You are going to have to help out in battle".

The door opened, revealing the face I've been yearning to see since last night.

He stood there in his ANBU uniform consisting of a dark grey vest consisting of a long sleeved protective black under armor with the same color fingerless gloves and all sorts of kunai and shuriken in his pockets. He stood with his back leaning against the wall with his arms folding across his chest and his beautiful smirk I was dying to see.

"Ah….it's good to see you Ryo".

He didn't say anything but wait for Tsunade to continue.

The way he looked at me was a little different than last night. His captivating onyx eyes were filled with utter tenderness and concern. Ryo's smirk disappeared and gave me a somewhat empathetic look, like he knew what I was going through.

I couldn't look away from him, the two of us stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever.

"_Snap out of it!"_

And I did what my inner self told me and listened to Tsunade.

"I would have brought Naruto here, but he is currently fighting for his life in the war. Sakura Ryo has been on a long scouting mission. I deemed him worthy of being apart of the ANBU black cop squad".

She turned to my brother, "Shin, if you show that you are capable of exceeding the limits of many other ninja, you will also be placed as a member of the ANBU black cop squad".

He nodded as Tsunade took a sip of her sake and continued, "I want the three of you to go out and help your fellow shinobi. Sakura, because of your condition, I just want you healing the wounded in the background. Don't do anything reckless, got it?"

All eyes in the room were on me, "Got it".

Wataru waved his hand in front of Tsunade's face, "Hello? What about me! You act like I'm not that important…..OBAA-san…."

She looked a little irritated when he addressed as her as an old woman.

"Wataru….I think it's best for you to stay in the hospital where everything is safe and secure. I'll take you there myself".

"Tsunade…..where are these attackers from? How is Konoha covered with ice?" I asked her.

"It's the Akatsuki from the rain village. They need to be stopped at all costs".

"But there's no fire stone, so why would they want to even invade Konoha in the first place?" I interrupted.

She shrugged, "Konoha is an ancient place. They probably think it may be hidden somewhere here in the village. This stone was last seen thousands of years ago, it could be anywhere".

I nodded and stood ready to take on my position. Shin and I embraced Wataru, promising him that like father we would also return.

Shin, Ryo, and I stood in the center of the room facing Tsunade ready to take this challenge on.

"Good luck, you three may go".

And without any hesitation, we left and prepared for battle.

**Author's Note: **Let me know what you thought of this chapter! I am really appreciating the support you guys! Just to let you all know, we are in the last arc of the story. Keep reading for more and do the most important thing…….REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE!!!!

Thanks a whole lot!

Sweetness.


	60. An Everlasting Moment

**Author's Note: **Yo!!! So my school week is now over because of parent teacher conferences on Friday, so three day weekend lucky me! Except, tomorrow me and some other juniors will be visiting a couple of colleges. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you keep reading!

Onto this next chappie!

**Chapter 60: An Everlasting Moment**

The three of us nodded and left the tower ready to face the challenges ahead. Neither of us spoke to each other, we sped up our pace on the way to the east side of the village.

We would have gone a lot faster if I wasn't holding us up. My condition was gradually growing worse, I didn't want to tell Tsunade because instead of sitting and watching others fight, I had to do something.

It was my time…my chance…

The ice cold temperature from outside was really affecting my well-being. In the very center of my body was sheer pain. The surge of energy was trying to work harder as I did my best to keep up with Ryo and Shin. Slowly my energy faded and I fell to the ground.

"Sakura!" yelled Shin rushing to my side, examining me.

It was difficult to move and I tried assuring Shin I was okay, but I failed to do so.

Screams were heard from the direction we were heading towards.

Shin stood up, "What are we going to do!? Sakura you're obviously not fit to even do this job, and there's no time to take you all the way back towards the hospital. I can't just leave you here on the ground either!"

Ryo walked over to the two of us, bent down, and met my eyes. The heat from my face warmed me up a little bit; I hope he just thought it was just from the cold and not from anything else.

"I'll watch her" Ryo said without looking at anything else but me.

Shin and I looked at him in a weird way.

"Ryo, aren't you going to come and help out everyone else in the war?"

His dark orbs gazed up in Shin's direction, "I'm just going to make sure your sister's okay. I'll come by a little later".

Shin shrugged and left the two of us.

"_Pshhhh….some brother. He leaves me by myself with this jerk"._

I looked back at him again as he caressed my freezing hands. Although he had a cold personality, he sure was warm. The toasty heat radiating from his body soothed me, and I wanted him to stay here instead of fighting.

He closed eyes after a couple minutes and checked my pulse.

"You're pulse is irregular".

Sighing, I lifted my head and sat up.

"I know….my entire chakra system is irregular".

He gave me a suspicious look, "When did all of this start happening?"

I shrugged, "Not sure….like a few months ago".

He nodded and remained quiet as I asked another question, "Why is being targeted so easily?"

"It's possible the enemy feels this is the best time since your hokage has been gone for so long".

"He's dead".

"_Oh crap! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that! Stupid me stupidstupidstupidstupid me!"_

"He's dead?"

Unfortunately what I just said could not be taken back, so there really was no choice but to answer the question.

"Yes….Tsunade and I found him in a bloody mess many months ago. The Uchiha symbol was carved into his skin".

I shivered at the thought.

"You know of the Uchiha clan right?"

He nodded, "Of course….who doesn't know about them?"

"That's true….they are world renown. I wonder what's become of Sasuke…."

Ryo's head shot up and he gave me this look as if I was being accused of something, "You…you know Sasuke?"

"_What's his deal?"_

"I don't know him, but I know _of _him".

Now he seemed really intent into our conversation, the most I've ever seen him active in a discussion.

"What do you know about him?" he urged further.

"_What's he so curious for? Does he actually know Uchiha Sasuke?"_

"All I know is, like you, Sasuke's family was also murdered. He lived here in Konoha until the age of 13. One night he mysteriously left the village. It was said that he was a power hungry, revenge-seeking fiend. No one knows if he's even alive now".

Ryo didn't say anything but stare at me.

I continued, "You know what Ryo? I'm really glad you're here in Konoha. You've shown me a lot of things which I really appreciate. No matter what everyone else thinks, I'm so glad we're friends. You're going to stay in Konoha right?"

The reaction was a little unexpected. I was hoping for him to give me a straight up answer, he just looked down at the ground and avoided eye contact.

"If Sasuke is alive…..I hope he suffers dire consequences".

For some reason, that seemed to strike a cord in Ryo.

"Why would you say that?" He asked while looking at me darkly.

"I understand his situation about what happened to his family, but revenge isn't the answer".

He took a step closer towards me, "What else was he supposed to do!?"

"_Jeez…..why is he acting so strange?"_

"Instead of running from his own village, he should have faced the reality. You know that's what ticks me off. People say _I'm_ the one who keeps living my own little world!? Sasuke is the embodiment of cowardice. He thinks that revenge will solve all of his problems, when it's really gotten himself into all sorts of trouble. Instead of focusing all of his time and energy into 'avenging' his family, he could have stayed here for the rest of his life in Konoha to show that he wasn't going to fall into this trap. That he was going to live up and erase all of the bad memories Madara unleashed into this village. Instead Sasuke decided to follow Madara's path, which has ended up destroying his life and tainted the reputation of the Uchiha clan. I don't like him but also pity him at the same time".

Ryo gave me a questioning look.

"It's really sad to know that besides focusing to work hard and honor his name, he could have also developed relationships which would last for a lifetime. It must be difficult knowing that you're family isn't here with you, but, he should have realized that all of the other people in the village were like his family. They could have supported him and watch him grow into a successful, but no, he made this stupid mistake and destroyed everything for himself".

Surprisingly, Ryo calmed down and still didn't say anything.

He continued to stare deep into my eyes. The look was full of regret and despair, like something was haunting him at this very moment.

"SAKURA-CHAN, RYO WATCH OUT!"

Chan….that's gotta be Naruto.

There was no time to even think about who it was, because his voice was filled with urgency as if something dangerous was approaching the two of us.

Unfortunately when I looked for the danger, my eye sight started malfunctioning because of the chakra blockage. Migraines and dizziness were affecting me, and I was too much in pain and exhausted to move.

Whatever it was it had legs, meaning, it was most likely an enemy ninja.

My current condition was too much to bear. The ninja turned his direction and seemed to go after me because of my vulnerable state. Before I knew it, a pair of arms carried me to the safest place close by.

Ryo laid me down on one of the branches of a large oak tree. Thankfully, the branch was wide and strong enough to hold me in place. The enemy no longer chased us, Ryo probably took him out.

I felt him shake me, "Sakura….Sakura! Please…..WAKE UP!"

As long as I've known Ryo, he has never shown this much care and concern for anyone.

Especially me out of all people.

I was only unconscious for a couple minutes when I was revived again. My vision was clear, but the fatigue from the blockage was still there.

My green orbs observed the world around me. I was sitting farther away from the chaos. Explosions and screaming were heard everywhere, and I had the sudden urge to get up and help but I couldn't.

I heard slightly deep breathing close to me. It was Ryo transferring some of his chakra into me. The only problem was that whatever powerful force was inside my heart, it was attacking Ryo's chakra particles which were entering my body.

He noticed my wakeful state and sighed in relief. Ryo is very unpredictable…you never know what will happen next knowing him. The way he stares at me is strange regardless…..but the way he was gazing at me was made me feel….well…..I couldn't even describe it.

His usually harsh eyes softened at this very moment when looking at me. The two of us didn't say anything to each other for the longest time, but I felt as if all I needed him somewhere with me just being with each other. Nothing could possibly make me happier than that.

In the distance, I could see Naruto running towards us.

"Ryo, Sakura-chan! Are you guys okay!?" He called out to us.

You know what's funny? That childish crush I had for Naruto completely vanished, to me, our relationship is more brotherly and sisterly. I am just hoping he'll get over me soon.

"We're fine Naruto" Ryo assured him.

"Ryo….come with me immediately, Konoha isn't doing so well against these freaks!"

He nodded and proceeded to climb down until he laid his eyes upon me again.

"_How many times is this guy going to look at me!?"_

My mind wanted him to both stop and continue…..I wish I could explain this feeling…

He turned his direction down towards Naruto who was looking up at us, "You go on ahead, I'll be right there".

Naruto nodded and left.

Ryo looked a little longer at me, until I started noticing that with each passing moment he moved closer towards me.

We were inches apart, heat was rising to my face but I didn't want to run away embarrassed like some teenager.

I thought it was a little funny how both of our long eyelashes brushed against each other. To me, Hayashi Ryo was the most beautiful man alive. As he knelt down in front of me, I could immediately sense the connection between us. It was strong, something which couldn't be broken. I closed my eyes thinking this was all a dream, but as soon as I did…..

His lips crashed onto mine.

My heart beat faster and faster. I felt as if it wasn't just as kiss….it was like he tapped something inside of me, something I wasn't able to unlock myself.

For the first time ever, he smiled. It was a smile so beautiful…..that all I could do was feel weak in the knees and smile back.

To my disappointment, he moved away from me and stood up.

Before he left, Hayashi Ryo said the three words I have been yearning for someone to say to me for so many years.

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"I love you Haruno Sakura…."

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 60! There's only one thing you can do to tell me how great you think it is: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!

Thanks and more chapters are coming soon!

Love you all,

Sweetness.


	61. United

**Author's Note: **Hey!!! So I just came back from a college visit to both McDaniel College and Towson University. This is my first college visit, thinking about it makes me really excited. I think I'll probably end up going to university of Maryland. Have any of you guys started looking? Well anyway, here's the next one!

**Chapter 61: United**

I love you….

Those three words still rung in my head. It was so hard to believe that after all these years of wondering and thinking about who would fall for me, it happens to be the guy I can't stand.

Ryo left to fight as I was left behind sitting on a tree branch, shielded by the large canopy of ice blue, frozen leaves.

How does that even happen?

This entire situation is confusing me. I hate feeling useless and helpless; it reminds me of how I was when I was a little girl.

Sitting on a frozen tree branch was not comfortable one bit. My body was freezing and I kept moving around to keep myself in a comfortable position.

While my weight shifted from one place to another, I faced the walls of konoha.

I noticed little figures climbing over with their grappling hooks and all sorts of ways to enter. It went from one ninja to almost more than a hundred!

"_Oh no! More intruders?!" _

For the first time in a while, fear took control of my body. I trembled and shivered not because of the cold anymore. Being in this vulnerable state would not be able to help me one bit.

I moved slightly backwards, and when I did, the branch snapped and I fell.

Thankfully, my reflexes involuntarily held the slippery trunk. It didn't help though, I slid down but at least I didn't break my back or anything!

Ryo's transferring of chakra helped me somewhat, even though my body was trying to fight back. I was able to walk a longer distance than I was able to in a while. The further I headed towards the direction of the rest of the shinobi, the more screams and clashing of weapons I heard.

I sped up my pace, and surprisingly, I was able to hold up. After a couple minutes, I found majority of eastern konoha demolished. Ninja were lying in pools of blood, and I had no choice but to get in the back and help heal everyone even if I was going to suffer in the process.

There was an entire team of medical ninja healing and helping the shinobi to recover. I spotted Shizune stitching Kakashi sensei's wound.

"Shizune-san!"

She turned to me, a little shocked that I was here.

"Sakura-san, what are you doing? You shouldn't be here".

I bent down next to her while eyeing Kakashi, "I need to be here for my village. There is no way I'm going to just stand back and watch the people I love die. I need to be here actively doing something. Besides, I am feeling a lot better right now from the excess chakra. My body is trying to resist the extraneous particles, but it's also sustaining itself. What happened to Kakashi-sensei?"

Shizune looked down and stroked his face, "H…He took the hit for Naruto".

I stared at her wide-eyed, "W-What?"

Tears were welling from here eyes, "One of the Akatsuki members, I think it was Zetsu, he wanted Naruto for some reason. He was persistent and finally caught Naruto at a dead end. As he charged to attack him, Kakashi stepped in and ended up taking the blow….."

"Will he be okay?"

She nodded while wiping her tears away, "I'm really not sure….."

I was tired of seeing all the people I loved the most getting hurt right before my eyes, it was time to put a stop to this.

A couple of paramedics brought back a couple of allied shinobi from Sunakagure. They all worked together to put all of their effort into reviving each and every single person.

I admired all of them. Tragic moments bring forth the best effort in people. As a medical ninja, I can tell you it breaks my heart to see people of all ages from children to the elderly to watch them suffer.

But unfortunately, that's the reality. I love being a medical ninja because it teaches discipline and tenacity.

Being younger, I was never committed to anything really. I'd get tired easily and focus on the unnecessary things in life. As years passed Tsunade not only taught me the basics of medicine, but also, the actual meaning of taking on this kind of a responsibility.

Being a doctor is more than just high recognition and a lot of money, you are put into life and death situations. If a person is dying right in front of you, you are expected to do whatever it takes to help the individual survive. I've seen Tsunade go through these kinds of situations. There were times when she was not able to find a cure or help her patient, but she never gave up, and that's what I've always admired about her.

This kind of job not only depends on yourself, but other people also. Where I am is a perfect example. Shizune is a well-trained medical ninja, but she wouldn't be able to handle all of this on her own. Behind me, is this long line of medic nin who are cooperating and are helping each other to cope with this kind of a situation.

It also goes for the Shinobi fighting for their lives on this very day.

They all need each other to defeat the enemy. With others, you always have the upper hand.

I've learned that whether you're a medical ninja or a shinobi fighting in battle, we are all united in the same way.

We all feel each other's pain, whether physical or emotional. We all will go to the ends for each other no matter what the costs.

I see Naruto fighting for his very life out here. He saw Kakashi take the hit for him. Those two have known each other for about nine years, they have grown closer and closer as each day passed. Like with everyone else, the bond between Kakashi-sensei and Naruto is something unbreakable. When Kakashi risked his life, it showed that he was the kind of person who would go to the ends of the people he loves dearly.

And so is Naruto.

As a 12 year old girl, never did I think we would share this kind of a relationship. At age 21, we both are willing to fight for each other. His life goes to show that hard work really can get anyone anywhere. I mean he lived a complete life of shame during his childhood. He was shunned by society, because of the beast within him. That curse has driven him to work harder and become a powerful ninja, he has now achieved that goal.

It wasn't just Naruto, it was all of my friends. Shikamaru, Chouji, Sai, Konohamaru…..everyone.

Then I laid my eyes on Ryo. To me it was strange that he wasn't directly fighting the Akatsuki. He took out the men helping our enemies. Ryo has so much potential, so why wasn't he using it to put an end to the people that actually matter?

He was so graceful in his movement. Those ninja could not even lay a hand on him. His katana cut the throats of each man.

I was never grossed out by blood, but seeing even these men die was not pleasant.

Wasn't there a better alternative for punishment?

That's the reality….it doesn't work that way.

My positive thoughts started disappearing and shock flowed through my body as soon as I saw Ayumu-san come into the middle of the battlefield.

The old man was dragged in the middle of the fray by a man in a black cloak. Unlike the rest of the Akatsuki, this man's face was covered. It was some creepy orange mask which made me wonder how he was even able to breathe in that thing.

I ignored the thought and focused on the matter at hand, Ayumu-san. The man in the cloak held a kunai right to Ayumu-san's neck and he whispered, "Where is it!?"

"_What's he talking about?"_

Ayumu-san nodded, "I don't know that you're talking about. It hasn't been seen for thousands of years…"

It's like he didn't believe him, "Liar…..I know you know where it is. You're wasting time, TELL ME!"

Ayumu-san refused to answer, and the man proceeded to cut Ayumu-san's throat.

I had to intervene immediately.

"Sakura, where are you going!?" Shizune asked me as I ran off.

I ignored her and ran towards the two.

He seemed to sense my presence, most likely because of my deep breathing. Running does take a toll on my body now because of the irregularity flow of my chakra.

The masked man faced my direction and pointed at me.

"YOU!"

**Author's Note: **Another cliffy……hope you liked it! There's more to come soon!

Thanks for the support everyone and review please!

Sweetness.


	62. Revealed

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone, what's up with all of you guys? Well there's really not much to say so……….here's the next chapter!

**Chapter 62: Revealed**

His long, black-painted nail pointed to me as if I was accused of something.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the two of us; I was just confused about what was even happening.

I turned my face to see Ryo staring at the masked man. His facial expression was indifferent. He didn't even look angry while I was being harassed…..if that was the right word.

"After all of this time, I finally found you Haruno Sakura".

Fear and confusion clouded my mind, _"W-What does he need me for!?"_

The cloaked fiend pushed Ayumu-san to the ground, and my anger rose tremendously.

"What the hell was that for!?"

He stepped forward, "Give it to me…."

I took a step back, "Give what to you?"

He pulled out his sharp-edged katana, "The fire stone of Konoha".

"_The fire stone!? I don't have it……"_

"I think you're talking to the wrong person. This stone you and your criminal group have been looking for is non-existent. The last time it was seen was probably more than a thousand years ago. There's no way anyone can find it".

It's like he didn't believe me. The man raised his hand and somehow paralyzed me.

"_W-What is this!?"_

Naruto stepped in, "Hey jackass, let her go!"

The man wasn't even fazed by Naruto's comment. With a snap of his fingers, Naruto was sent flying into one of the buildings.

"NARUTO!" I called out.

My fists clenched, "J-Just who are you!? What do you want from us! What has Konoha ever done to you!?"

He removed his cloak revealing long black hair, reaching what looks like to his feet. The outfit was made up of red armor around his chest area and lilac-colored gloves and attire underneath. Next, he unmasked himself. It revealed his entire face except for his left eye, which was covered by a black patch. On his forehead was the traditional Konoha headgear which was scratched, signifying that he must have been a missing nin.

"_What's wrong with his other eye?"_

Although I hated him at this very moment, this man was handsome. He and Ryo shared a striking resemblance.

In my eyes, Ryo was way better good looking.

"I can sense that the stone is very close by. I created it thousands of years ago. Who am I?"

I anxiously waited as everyone else stood planted where they were, not moving at all.

He kept walking until he stopped a couple of inches in front of me. The man grabbed my face and held it in his hand while stroking my hair as I struggled to get out of his grasp.

His hands were cold, and sent shivers down my spine. He gave me bad vibes.

"I am Uchiha Madara".

"_W-What!? Uchiha Madara!?"_

I pushed him away and stood back. He was an S class criminal; there was no way he was going near me!

I suddenly started to feel weak again. My knees gave out from standing too long, and I fell.

Madara had this sadistic smirk on his face, it was sick and I really wished my strength would only return so I could finish him off.

"Do you realize why you've been having these pains? The reason why your chakra is not traveling to other parts of your body? The reason why you're feeling so weak?"

To me, it felt colder outside. My body was sweating profusely to produce more heat. By doing so, the chakra could barely make it to other parts of my body. My breathing was heavy and deep as I tried to take in more oxygen, but it wasn't able to help me. The pain in the middle of my chest increased, it was throbbing, like something was going to burst out of me.

I looked around me, silently pleading for help from others. Everyone was knocked out or paralyzed from Madara's wave of power.

The sky suddenly changed from a pure blue to a dark purple. Things were being distorted outside, and even in my body.

"_P-Please tell me this is a nightmare!"_

Buildings were set on fire, and the innocent civilians of Konoha ran out of their homes looking for other means of shelter.

"I can control time and space, and there is no way you can fight it".

He held his hand out right in front of me, and as soon as he closed it tightly, all I could do was scream.

The burning inside of me increased, and it started to feel like flames.

"The fire stone lies _within_ you Haruno Sakura".

"_What!?"_

"H-How?" I asked, trying to ease the pain.

He laughed maniacally and I was feeling helpless.

"Thousands of years ago, the Uchiha clan feuded with the Senju clan. Hashirama Senju was a strong opponent, I completely underestimated his abilities as a shinobi. I used up so much chakra, that nothing inside my body was left to protect my organs or provide any energy for me. My body started to wither away, and I was left with nothing. I was the last of the Uchihas to create the last elemental stone, the fire stone. Each of these jewels were created by my ancestors before me. It was said, that when all of them were united, my strength would be restored and all evil spirits would bow before me and make me the most powerful human being in the world".

My pain did not cease, it grew worse. Somehow, I was able to continue asking questions, "What does this have to do with me? Why do I have it?"

"It was strange…..the Uchiha clan had the power to create each jewel, but the Senju clan possessed the knowledge of who would be the protector of each stone. When creating the firestone, Hasirama Senju placed it somewhere where no one could find it. The fire stone was said to be the most destructive out of all of them, and when tampered with, chaos would ensue. All he told me was that the greatest medical ninja of all time would keep this stone. I asked him why a mere medical ninja would be assigned this sort of job. He told me that a medical ninja has the capability to manipulate pain. That they refuse for others to bear such a responsibility and greater oppression in their lives. The sole purpose of a medical ninja is to protect those dear to them, and by keeping this stone, human kind would be relieved of that pain".

"_I'm the greatest medical ninja of all time!?"_

The burning felt ten times more painful.

"Karin, come here".

There she was……the slut herself. She wore green two inch-heeled boots and white booty shorts with a buttoned down red blouse, which really wasn't buttoned down all the way. She left three open to show off her belly.

"Yes Madara" she responded, coyly smiling. Knowing her, she would even flirt with someone as sick and twisted as Madara. This even makes her sick and twisted as a matter of fact.

"Would you do the honors?"

She looked at me struggling to breathe. Karin smirked, flipped her hair, and performed a jutsu.

Her hand motions went so fast, that I became too dizzy to continue watching.

"Water goddess's barrage no jutsu!"

A large fountain of water brought me upwards, floating in the air. Karin clapped her hands together, and when she did, all of the water from the ground formed into a sphere, enclosing me in it.

"The water will suppress the power of the fire stone, and once it's diminished, we will rip the stone right out of you".

The pressure of the water squeezed my insides, especially in my heart where the fire stone was located.

My head was the only part of the body where there was no water, so in that respect, I was able to breathe slightly.

It's like the stone was being squeezed and contorted, causing so much pain. I saw Ryo in the distance. He stood there watching me suffer.

"_Why isn't he doing anything? I thought he loved me…."_

I gathered up my strength to yell his name, "Ryo!"

My throat was scratchy, and it was hard to hear because of the rushing water surrounding me.

Karin and Madara must have heard me plea incoherently for him when they turned and smirked.

"Back off you pink-haired pig! After I finish off with you, he will for sure be mine".

I hated her so much right now, but I was in too much pain to fight back.

Suddenly, the rushing water stopped swirling around me and I fell to the ground soaked.

"Now what do we do Madara-sama?"

"Just wait patiently for the energy to die down a little bit".

She adjusted her ovular-shaped glasses, "I'm sure you're really excited to restore the sight back to your left eye aren't you?"

"You don't understand how thrilled I'll be. With the possession of this last stone, my body's strength and the sharingan's skill will return to me".

I couldn't move one bit, the small amounts of energy I had left was slowly dying. There was nothing I could do left.

Ryo still stood there watching me, as if he _had _to watch me go through this.

"I think the time is now Madara-sama".

"I think you're right Karin……..Uchiha Sasuke, come here at once!"

"_Uchiha Sasuke? He's here in Konoha? With Madara!?"_

**Author's Note: **Well, I hope you all liked it. This story is kind of close to coming to an end. I want EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW please!!!!

Thanks a lot,

Sweetness.


	63. The Truth

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great Halloween! Tell me about your costumes! I was a black cat, nothing special, just something easy and cheap. So anyway, I am going to be quiet now and let you all enjoy my new chapter!

**Chapter 63: The Truth**

Uchiha Sasuke...

One of the world's youngest and renowned criminals. What could he possibly be doing here in Konoha? I was dying to see what he looked like. Although Sasuke was selfish, revenge driven, and power hungry; he was supposedly the most handsome individual anyone could ever lay their eyes on.

But to me Ryo is the most beautiful individual I've ever seen, and Uchiha Sasuke could never compare.

It was dark and freezing outside and I couldn't see a thing. My energy slowly diminished as the sun left the horizon. It was as if these moments were my last, but I kept thinking of my loved ones, giving me more of a reason to strive and live on for them.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" I heard Madara call again.

It was quiet, silence only present. As I looked around, I could barely see the bodies of the others. Many soldiers and shinobi lost their lives to the Akatsuki, but thankfully, the people I've grown up with have just been rendered unconscious.

At this very moment, the only thing I could hear was the footsteps coming towards me. This Uchiha Sasuke was getting closer, and my chakra-strained heart was pounding, anticipating what was going to happen. As each step came closer, I was inwardly panicking and begging for help.

And the only person I could think of to rescue me, was Ryo.

_"Why wouldn't he even help me!? He stood there just staring as I was being almost drowned to death in that ball of water!"_

I started to think differently.

_"No...I'm wrong. Ryo would never leave me helpless, it's possible he was waiting for the right moment to attack"._

Thinking of him raised my spirits, there really was hope.

The footsteps came to a stop when I heard Madara speak, "Sasuke...what's wrong with you today? When I ordered you to simply remove the stone from inside this insolent girl, you just looked at me...like a deer in headlights. Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Sasuke's voice sounded so familiar! It was deep, smooth, and very masculine sounding. The funny thing was I could barely see his face, but somehow, I was automatically attracted to him.

"Nothing" he stated.

Madara chuckled, "Well then...I suggest you finish her off".

Looking up, I noticed the only remnant of light coming from the full moon. It wasn't even late at night, and the even weirder thing was, it was a creepy blood red color like the clouds patterned on the Akatsuki cloaks. The light from the moon gave me, well more like the fire stone, energy. I felt relieved and a little stronger, but it wasn't enough to help me stand.

The light spread everywhere in the village, and I was able to everyone.

I looked to Sasuke, to see if the rumors were true.

Yes...they really were...

He stood not to far away from me, wearing a long-sleeved black shirt with a grey ANBU vest. I've seen that outfit before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.

His hair was black, a little too spiky for my taste. It's like he put too much gel in it!

Sasuke's black pools drew me in, I just couldn't help myself. My heart was pounding and my body felt even weaker at the sight of him.

"_No! He's a criminal, don't think of him in that way"._

I tried forcing the thought out of my head when thinking of Ryo.

"R-Ryo…." I muttered.

Madara, Karin, and the rest of the Akatsuki snickered and laughed like there was something they knew that I didn't.

"Tell her Sasuke" Madara ordered as everyone directed their attention towards him.

The said man didn't laugh. He merely gave me this look of regret and guilt, I already knew he was going to kill me, but…..it's like he was keeping something from me that I didn't even know about….

Looking at him made me blink twice. Was it just me or did he look _exactly like _Ryo?

Sasuke opened his mouth, but was immediately interrupted by the rumbling of a large snail making its way towards us.

It was Tsunade who must have used her summoning technique. She jumped off the creature and kicked the ground, releasing a surge of rocks and debris flying everywhere.

One boulder actually hit Karin pretty hard, and although it wasn't the place to do so, I was trying to hold in my laughter. She deserves it….that….that…..witch!

Yeah….I don't really like to curse.

Anyway, a few of the Akatsuki members began to remove the rock. Neither Madara nor Sasuke were affected by it. Madara can control time or space, of course he could defend himself. Sasuke on the other hand kept his eyes on me. It's like he was completely oblivious to the rest of the world. There was a connection as the two of us stared at each other. There was no way I could snap out of it this time.

Everything seemed a little too weird for me, it was like déjà vu all over again.

Tsunade was enraged, and there was no way she could be calmed in the situation.

"Get the hell out of my village…." She seethed.

Madara chuckled, "I helped to create this village".

His facial expression immediately changed when he watched Sasuke stare at me, "Sasuke, what is this!? You are supposed to destroy this girl! What you're doing right now is completely shaming the Uchiha name!"

"UCHIHA!?" Tsunade asked bewildered by the situation.

No one answered as she spoke again, "Uchiha Sasuke I thought you left this village to seek revenge, what the hell are you doing back here!?"

I noticed Sasuke's fists clenching. His chakra rose to high peaks and his eyes became red with black pupils spinning rapidly, reminding me of a wheel almost.

Tsunade took another good luck at him again, "Wait a minute…..you look just like Hayashi Ryo…"

Those eyes of his became even bloodier and the pupils spun faster. Sasuke's eyes brought back my memory of almost a year ago when I discovered the Uchiha compound and was attacked by someone with the same eyes.

"_Was that him?"_

"That's because…I _am _Hayashi Ryo…" he seethed as the chakra surrounding him became a dark red color.

There was nothing I could say at this very moment. That man standing right of me was Uchiha Sasuke.

He reached from inside one of his pockets and pulled out a large blue egg-shaped stone.

"_Wait a minute…that's the jewel of heavens!"_

Ry-I mean Sasuke raised it to the sky as lightening struck the stone, charging up both him and his long sharp katana.

"I am going to avenge my clan…to honor my family name…" he mumbled as he charged towards me.

His speed reminded me of a snake….agile but stealthy.

Looking at his eyes reminded me of the time I first spoke to him in the forest, they looked haunted and saddened by what happened in his past.

As he ran towards me, no mercy was shown on his face.

Flashbacks ran through my mind from both the bad and the good times. From when he said how annoying I was to the time he said he loved me. After all of these long and painful years of waiting for the right person to come and save me from all of my tears….

I had to be _him_.

Uchiha Sasuke.

The thought was hard to swallow, I didn't know how to take the news. When everything hit me…

I realized at this very moment, after all this time….

…..

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I was in love with a criminal….

**Author's Note: **What did you think!?!?! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!

Thanks a lot,

Sweetness.


	64. Crisis

**Author's Note: **Hey readers!!! How are you all? I know it's been a while with school and such but I'm trying to make time to finish this story. I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting a little impatient with myself and the fact I keep you all waiting which may result in me resulting in the loss of more fans. I certainly don't want that to happen! Well, it's time I stop talking and let you all start reading…….enjoy!

**Chapter 65: Crisis**

Heartbreak…

Why does it hurt so much?

There he is, Uchiha Sasuke...the love of my life, running towards me like some blood thirsty animal about to pounce on his prey.

It hurts to know that this was all a sham…that I meant absolutely nothing to him. Those feelings, the way he looked into my eyes and told me he loved me seemed so real! I was the happiest woman in the world.

Now, I must face reality and my biggest disappointment. This so called 'love' Sasuke felt for me was just a part of his selfish plan. He only wanted me for this oppressive stone hidden inside my body for who knows how long.

I remember mother telling me that love is something unconditional…that no matter what, you will always harbor the same feelings for the person no matter what happens. Discovering that Uchiha Sasuke was completely disguised as the man of my dreams was shocking, but my feelings still remain the same. My love for him grows stronger after each and every moment. I certainly feel hurt knowing that he could never love me back because I was some mere 'tool' to him.

Love really does have its disappointments doesn't it?

As the depression clouded my mind, my hope and willingness to live began to crumble.

I was left with nothing…

He helped me to discover who I truly was…instead of who I longed to be…

Uchiha Sasuke was the light of my life…he encouraged me to look at the brighter side of things even if I couldn't see that small silver lining of the dark cloud hovering over my head.

There was nothing to look forward to now…and as I stared into his murderous eyes…tears started to cloud my vision.

To me, there was no use in wiping them away. I let them slide down my cheeks, ready to take my punishment…for being so naïve…

How could I have been so gullible to think he actually loved me?

I trusted him with my life…and here he is now about to destroy it…not caring about how much I valued it with him by my side.

He stopped running and stood there right in front of my helpless figure. Sasuke's eyes stopped spinning and turned back into those same onyx pools I fell in love with. That same smirk etched his beautiful face, but this time, I wasn't annoyed or irritated with his cocky gesture. I was merely happy and relieved to see it one last time before he finished me off. Sasuke removed his katana from his sheath and held it with the tip of the sword right above me.

It was the strangest and craziest feeling I've ever had. I was scared to lose my life but, at the same time, I was also comforted by his prescence.

At this moment, there was no point in thinking about what could have been between the two of us. I was going to die and Sasuke was going to continue on with his criminal life most likely toying with the hearts of other women to fulfill the happiness of Madara instead of his own.

My eyes closed as more tears fell. It saddened me never to see everyone else again…to know that my dream of finding true love would never be a reality…

"I-I…love you…Uchiha Sasuke…" I whispered my last words.

The gusts of wind blew in our direction, slightly refreshing me.

Suddenly, Sasuke's breath hitched after my words. I looked back up at him seeing his sword was still hovering over me waiting to attack. He nodded and could only stare at me solemnly, but proceeded with the plan.

He raised it up and before he could strike me, a yellow blob ambushed him from the side.

"_W-What!?"_

"Stay away from her…" the person seethed.

I wiped my tears away, trying to get a better look at who this 'blob' was.

My thoughts were right…it was _my _very own guardian angel. The person who has been there for me since childhood, the one I could share everything with. My best friend…

"_Naruto…"_

He looked away from Sasuke and back at me, bending down eye level.

"Sakura-chan!? Please tell me you're okay!" he asked with concern.

This is the main reason why I love Naruto, well, in a brotherly way of course. He's always looking out for the well being of others instead of himself. Hinata is one lucky girl.

"I'm fine Naruto…" I assured him.

He scoffed at me, "No you're not! That jerk hurt you! I don't want that happening to my best friend!"

I examined him thoroughly, "Naruto…how did you heal so quickly?"

"Well…granny helped me out a little bit and…my little friend inside of me obviously did all the work" he stated while grinning.

He brought a smile back to my face with his goofy grin. The Kyuubi helps Naruto to recover pretty quickly…it's almost like he's invincible with this demon fox on his side…

Naruto saw my expression change to a sudden heartbroken one as I watched Sasuke slowly get back up from Naruto's blow.

"Sakura…everything will be fine. I'm going to take care of you…I knew that teme couldn't be trusted".

I pushed his hand away from my shoulder, "That's the problem Naruto! You say everything is going to be fine, like _you're_ going to take care of it! I feel completely useless in this state!"

He looked at me weirdly, "What do you mean in _this _state?"

"I have the fire stone inside of me…that's what's been eating up my chakra and making me feel weak…" I stated plainly.

Naruto gasped and looked a little shocked, "T-The f-fire s-stone!?"

I nodded and continued speaking, "I'm going to fight with you".

"No way Sakura-chan! I can't let you fight in this condition".

I struggled to stand and eventually succeeded, "Stop saying that! Do you realize how many life and death situations you've been in Naruto!? I've said the same thing to you about leaving the rest to me, Sai, Yamato and everyone else! But no, you always like to be the hero and risk your own life for the good of everyone else".

He sheepishly grinned at me as if he wasn't taking me seriously, "So let me get this straight…you're jealous because you think I take all the glory?"

"_What the hell is he thinking? I swear all these years of fighting and training must have gotten to that big head of his…"_

"No Naruto…for once after all these years I want to take a stand and stop watching from the background. Even when I was 16 I did in some ways take control in situations…but it was always you protecting me, and I got tired of it. I don't want anyone treating me like I'm some child anymore…"

My words seemed to awe him, "I understand Sakura-chan…but…how are you going to fight if your chakra is diminishing?"

I smirked, "I'll think of something".

After speaking with Naruto this whole time I suddenly realized something…

"_Wait a minute…Naruto has the Kyuubi inside of him and the Kyuubi is one of the nine fox spirits. Could it be possible the Akatsuki is also after Naruto?"_

"It's nice to see you again Uzumaki Naruto" stated Madara, glaring at him for most likely interrupting Sasuke.

I watched as his fists clenched, "What do you want bastard!?"

He walked closer to the two of us, "Oh you know _very _well what I want".

Naruto wasted no time in giving Madara a piece of his mind, "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

And before I knew it, an ENTIRE army of Naruto's suddenly appeared ready to attack.

"_Narutos are everywhere around me! Now that's going to give me a real headache in the morning…"_

Each and every one immediately charged toward Madara, but as predicted, he disposed of them really quickly in the strangest way possible.

Remember when I said Madara can control time and space? Trust me, he really can.

He closed his eyes somehow stopping all of the Narutos in their place. Then with a bunch of arms movements, in what looks like circular formations of some sort, and suddenly this space vortex appeared. It sucked the army of blondes in!

"What the hell!?" Naruto yelled, totally confused about what just happened.

"There's no way you can defeat me Naruto…I control time and space, the most powerful element in the world there is…and I am the sole human being who can do so".

"Chidori Nagashi!"

A blue lightening bolt struck the scene. I looked to my left and saw Sasuke running towards us.

"Ah Sasuke…took you long enough" Madara stated while looking around him.

"Now…where is the rest of the group?" he asked.

Suddenly a flash of different colors lit up the dark skies. I looked back down to find the sources, revealing the rest of the Akatsuki.

Kisame held the water stone, using one of his techniques.

"Tidal wave barrage jutsu!" he commanded as the water from the ground rose, forming a tidal wave. The wave was forced down onto the buildings of the village, destroying everything in its path.

"S-Sakura-san?" spoke a weak voice.

I turned to the direction of where I heard the voice.

"_Ayumu-san!?"_

Without a second thought, I rushed to his side and mustered all of my remaining strength to heal him.

It was difficult to breathe since the chakra pathways in my body were blocked, "A-Are you…alright?"

He struggled to sit up as I helped him, "I should be fine Sakura-san. What happened to you? You look weak, like there is no energy left inside of you".

I proceeded to explain to him my whole situation, "My chakra is blocked because the fire stone is inside of me".

He looked at me, completely baffled.

"No wonder! Sakura-san I suggest you don't fi-"

"CRYSTAL ROSE THORN JUTSU!" screamed a high-pitched voice.

Karin sent these beautiful but deadly crystal shards in the shape of rose thorns toward me. They attached to my clothes and sent me flying until I hit one of the buildings.

I tried moving my arms but the crystal thorns pierced into the cloth of my clothing, holding me in place for who knows what.

Then the red head witch stood right in front of me on a floating crystal rock like substance while smirking in triumph.

"Having fun pinky?" she sneered at me.

"What do you want Karin!?" I spat back at her.

She twirled her nasty, ugly, and oily straight hair while giggling.

"I'm just keeping you still for the little procedure so Madara can get his fire stone".

"What kind of a jutsu did you use on me?" I asked suspiciously.

Her brow rose, "Oh…do you remember the disappearances of each of those sacred stones? Well, each member of the Akatsuki is keeping one as their own little gift and mine happens to be this beautiful crystal jewel".

In the palm of her hand revealed a diamond-shaped stone. It was a beautiful lilac color, with silver designs forming circular shapes around the jewel.

"This baby right here helps me to perform any crystal or stone based jutsus to my advantage. Madara-sama let me have this one, because he doesn't _think _but he actually _knows _that a beautiful woman like myself is worthy of keeping this particular stone".

"_Beautiful woman? Puh-lease! You make me sick!"_

"Sasuke-kun should be here soon to finish you off and retrieve the fire stone. You know forehead you obviously shouldn't hold on to these feelings for him anymore because after you're dead…he's going to devote all his time and attention to _me_".

Tears flowed from my eyes. I couldn't help thinking of how the afterlife would be without my Sasuke…

"Oh don't cry forehead. You won't be able to feel these feelings once you're gone, so do us both a favor and stop the waterworks please!"

It's like someone answered my prayers to shut this tramp up. Karin's body suddenly fell limp…

I turned my attention behind her body and found Hinata coming to help me out of this predicament.

"Hina? What did you do to her?" I asked, shocked and a little scared.

Hinata giggled at my reaction, "Oh that? It's called the chakra needle technique. I can use the chakra from inside my body to form needles and my keen sense of vision from the Byaakugan pinpoints the exact locations of her nerves. She's not dead, just unconscious.

I was still in awe as Hina removed the crystal thorns from my clothing.

"Thanks so much Hina, I don't know what I would have done without you" I said while hugging her.

"That's what friends are for Saku. I was at another mission when I heard about what was going on here in Konoha. Everything is completely destroyed, who's responsible for this?"

"It's the Akatsuki, the group I found on my mission in the rain country. Their sold objective has been to retrieve each and every one of the elemental stones so they can power up their own jutsus and summon all nine of the fox spirits".

Hinata nodded as she took everything in, "So what Karin is holding is the crystal stone?"

"Yeah, and I think for as long as she's unconscious, we should take it".

Hina nodded as I walked over and removed the lilac jewel from the red head's hand.

"How is everyone else holding up?" Hina asked me as we headed towards the site where all the action was taking place.

"Not well, many people are severely injured" I informed her.

My energy was draining, making it a little difficult for me to run.

"Saku, Are you alright? You don't look well at all".

It was getting to the point where I didn't even have the energy to speak, the most I could do was nod and I ended up fainting.

"Sakura!" I heard Hina call as my organs slowly started failing…

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It made it even harder to functioning knowing Hayashi Ryo was criminal, and he never loved me…

But thankfully, I had Hinata and Tsunade by my side. Hina tightly held my hand for support and Tsunade had to transfer some of her chakra into me, but the difficult part was, the stone was rejecting the excess chakra coming into my body.

"Sakura, are you okay! Please be awake!" Hinata called after me.

"Yeah…I'm fine…" I assured her, even though I could suddenly feel burns around my heart cavity.

My breathing became deeper, and started to take a toll on my body.

"No you're not" Tsunade said.

She focused all of her chakra into her hand and placed it against my chest to feel any irregular pulses in my heart. The strange thing was, as soon as Tsunade did so, she cried out in pain and removed her hand from me.

"T-Tsunade-san!? W-What h-happened!?" Hina asked in concern.

Tsunade stared at me directly into my eyes, "Sakura…this fire stone…it's starting to react to the presence of the other elemental jewels. At this point, they are ready to release their energy and cater to the desires of Madara to summon those fox spirits".

"Tsunade-san, is there anything we can do to ease the pain? Why not take Sakura to the hospital?" Hinata suggested.

Tsunade nodded, "What's the hospital going to do? Absolutely nothing at this point, besides, the hospital is too far from here. I guess I'll have to keep transferring my chakra even though it'll be too much for her".

The three of us left to the scene as Tsunade carried me. We found Naruto fighting for his life against Sasuke. He was tired, but knowing him, he probably wasn't going to give up.

Sasuke's techniques were completely taboo and forbidden here in Konoha. Most of his jutsus were based a lot on the forbidden scrolls which Madara took with him during his defection from the village. Snakes and predominantly lightening techniques were summoned.

"_That's some pretty dark stuff"._

Suddenly Hinata's behavior changed completely from a calm and determined exterior to a panicking one. It looked like her head was in deep pain and she screamed as loud as she could. Tears ran down her pale cheeks as she cried out,

"No! God no! This can't be happening!"

She immediately buried her head into her hands as I limped with Tsunade helping me walk towards Hinata.

"H-Hina…what's wrong?"

Her pearl orbs met my emerald ones as Tsunade held her hands for support.

"Do you remember that vision I had a while ago? About someone who was going to die?" She asked me as her voice started to choke up.

I gulped, not prepared to take the news but nodded anyway for her to continue, "Yes".

Hinata looked at me with her eyes wide as her small figure started to tremble.

"Someone we know and care for deeply will die here at this very location…very soon…"

**Author's Note: **Gosh! That took forever for me to write! Well you know what to do….REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW please!!!

Thanks a whole lot for all the love and support!

Love you all,

Sweetness.


	65. Our Connection

**Author's Note: **Hey Everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed your school week, and are psyched for the weekend. I am super duper excited for Thanksgiving, and ready to chow down on some mashed potatoes and turkey! Also just to let you guys know, if you have any questions or just want to talk, please message me. That would be greatly appreciated! Thanks and enjoy this next chappie!

**Chapter 65: Our Connection**

I couldn't move…

Not because of my chakra blockage, but because of complete and utter fear surging through my body. Drops of cold sweat slid down my face as I frantically wiped them away and tried to keep calm to make sure I didn't cause any further damage of body with this stone inside of me.

A loved one? Someone Hinata and I care deeply for?

This can't happen…I won't let it happen.

"Can you give us anymore information Hinata?" Tsunade calmly asked her.

Hinata's expression didn't falter. I could see through her transparent eyes feelings of pain and love, as if she was going to lose her reason to live after this sudden tragedy.

"_Maybe its best that we don't ask her anything right now…she seems devastated…"_

Before I could turn around, someone called my name.

"Sakura….SAKURA-CHAN WATCH OUT!"

Before I could react any further, something sharp pierced through my back. The result of the object entering inside of me was shocking.

Literally.

As seconds passed, blue strands of electric shock increased both in speed and size to take over my body faster.

The surge of lightening worked around my different organs to get to what looks like my heart where the fire stone was located. As soon as the bolts of lightening came in contact with the stone, all I could do was scream in sheer agony.

I fell to the ground and felt the inside of my body burning. It lasted for a couple minutes, and right afterwards, all of the heat from my body faded…

…and I was left dead…

End.

**Author's Note: **Haha, you guys were probably freaking out as soon as I wrote that! I just wanted to see your reactions…of course I wouldn't do that to Sakura, she's the main character! Well…let's keep on reading shall we?

The heat inside of me immediatley left my body and I was left cold on the hard ground.

Tsunade and Hinata ran to my side as I struggled to even move an inch. All the energy and chakra were leaving me as well. The fire stone was what has been sustaining me all these 21 years of my life.

At this very moment…I could see my life flashing right before my eyes…

"S-Sakura…hold on!" Tsunade assured me.

I could tell from my blurry vision that Hinata could no longer hold her tears back in. She's suffered through so much…it's time she shouldn't keep bottling up her feelings anymore. It hurt to see her this way, but it must have hurt her even more to see me in this condition.

"Billboard brow?"

"_Ino…"_

Although she constantly irritated me with obnoxious remarks…that's what made our friendship so special. We grew up together and faced through both the good and the bad.

She was one of my true friends I have found in my life. No one could ever replace her.

I haven't seen Ino in a while…now unfortunately this will be the last time we'll see each other.

"Sakura?" She called again.

"Over here Ino" Hinata responded.

Ino-pig directed her attention to Hinata and Tsunade, she couldn't see me since I was laying on the floor not saying a word.

I heard her footsteps quickly approaching the three of us. Ever since Ino and I talked about her rocky relationship with her last boyfriend, I have never seen her so upset.

She didn't greet Tsunade nor give Hinata a hug…her azure jewels stared morbidly into my green ones, knowing what exactly what was going to become of me.

"S-Sakura?"

I couldn't answer her…my weak state just wouldn't let me. My vision kept switching from blurry to a pitch black world. Ino looked like a yellow blob, which made me chuckle inwardly. It was the right choice that she was born a blonde. Ino was always loud, enthusiastic about her passions, outgoing, and someone who lights up your world even though all you think you can see is the depressing darkness.

Those shocking blue eyes of hers still held the same warmth and affection even when we were kids.

The energy from my chakra flow was slowly dying. Tsunade transferred some of her chakra into mine, thinking it would be easier without the fire stone rejecting the external flow of energy.

But it made things worse.

The remnants of the lightening shock were more powerful and forced the chakra out of me. I started to notice that my pigmentation was becoming paler by the minute.

"W-Will she be alright…Tsunade-san?" Ino asked.

My eyes were shut, keeping them open to only see a blurry world would make me a little dizzy.

I heard her sigh and grip my hand tightly, "Ino…there are many things in life which I don't have the answer to…and this is one of them. If there is a chance we can get Sakura cured, then she'll be back to her normal self in no time. On the other hand, if she doesn't keep fighting for her life and if we end up losing time, then this will be the end".

Something wet hit my forehead. I opened my eyes back up again and looked up at the sky. It was fairly dark outside, not a single cloud. There was no sign of rain. Then I heard sniffling with that same wet substance falling on my forehead.

I followed the gaze of where the sound came from and found Ino covering her eyes with her neatly manicured hands. From the slight openings in between her fingers, tear drops must have fallen.

"P-Please Ino…for Sakura…d-don't d-do this…" Hinata pleaded while wrapping her arms around the blonde, trying to comfort her.

I looked to my left and found Naruto, whose back was mostly likely pushed into a wall, with Kisame threatening to cut his throat. The rest of the Akatsuki members were torturing many of the other citizens.

Then there was Sasuke.

The young man I still love stood there watching everything happen. He fell to the ground and buried his head into his hands with utter frustration as if he did something wrong.

Tears welled up in my eyes while watching him suffer. I was physically suffering, but Sasuke's emotional distress was something I just couldn't bear to watch.

The angrier he got at himself, the more upset I became. There was something interesting I noticed at this very moment.

It was as if I was the only one who could understand what kind of pain he was going through. I don't know much about his past, but those intense feelings he was currently feeling were things that I was at this moment feeling too.

Flashbacks and all sorts of memories with Sasuke came flowing through my mind. I noticed that whenever he was angry…I was angry. When he was miserable…a part of me was missing. When he was at peace…so was I…

It certainly felt as if both Sasuke and I were almost…mentally connected with one another…

We both felt each other's pain…we were a part of each other…

I looked to Sasuke's right and found Madara holding up that same blue egg-shaped lightening stone which he was about to use to attack me with.

"_That monster…HE was the one who removed the fire stone from inside of me"._

Speaking of the fire stone, where was it?

"Oh my God….l-look at it!" Hinata pointed out.

I followed her gaze to an object floating right in front of me. As long as this jewel has remained inside my body, never have I actually seen what it looks like.

The fire stone was shaped completely different then the rest of the jewels. It was a deep rose red color with golden lining on the edges. Conveniently, the object was heart-shaped.

"_No wonder it was able to fit in my heart cavity" _I realized.

Then Madara raised his hand and the stone automatically gravitated towards him. He looked at it strangely as if there was something wrong.

"Madara-sama…is everything alright?" Karin asked while batting her very short, mascara covered lashes.

"_Haha…she must have woken up already!"_

Everyone of the Akatsuki gave her this look.

"Karin, where the hell have you been!? You freaking missed all the action!" informed Suigetsu.

The red head put her hands to her hips and scoffed, "Listen, some white-eyed bitch ambushed me from behind, targeted my nerves, and practically immobilized me!"

Suigetsu just laughed as Karin pummeled him to the ground.

"Shut it!"

"Karin".

She turned around and smiled sweetly and swung her hips while batting her fake lashes, "Yes Madara-sama?"

"It's time…get in your position".

She agreed and reluctantly stood in line beside Suigetsu.

Each and every one of the members of the Akatsuki held their jewels to the sky. The colors reflecting from the bright light of the moon almost reminded me of a rainbow.

All except for one.

The fire stone remained almost…dead in his hands. There was very little energy encased in the jewel, it looked completely useless for whatever they were planning.

Madara grew angrier by the second.

"What's going on here!? Why isn't this damn thing working!?" demanded Madara.

Everyone turned their attention to me, and Madara immediately headed towards where I was laying in my vulnerable state. The man slapped Tsunade's hand away from where she was trying to inject more chakra to sustain me. He pulled me up and grabbed my neck.

"What the hell did you do you…insolent girl!?"

There was no possible way I could speak…the energy was taken out of me.

"Madara…get away from her" Tsunade seethed.

He looked at her harshly, "I can do what I please old woman…I created that stone ages ago…it belongs to me".

"_Pshh…talk about old…"_

"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!" someone called out.

A large wave of concentrated chakra violently barraged the scene. As soon as the smoke from the damage cleared, a large human ball rolled down and knocked Karin out as if she was some bowling pin.

"Human Bullet Tank!"

I watched in excitement as she crashed into a concrete wall.

"Ow…." She groaned while rubbing her head.

"Shadow Imitation Technique" commanded an unenthusiastic voice.

The shadows held each Akatsuki member in place as the large rolling human ball headed towards them, knocking each and every one of them out, causing each of the stones to fly in the air.

"Wind of Sand" a calm voice ordered.

Somehow, both the sand and the wind combined to retrieve the falling stones.

"_Neji? Chouji? Shikamaru? Gaara?"_

Things were looking up now…it was about time Konoha put the Akatsuki in their place.

I noticed Neji immediately turning his attention towards Karin and, without any hesitation; he grabbed her by the neckline of her revealing shirt.

"You!" he seethed.

She blinked a couple times and then played with his hair seductively, "Yes…_ME…"_

That girl would flirt with just about ANYONE!

Neji sure was handsome, but there was no way he was going to fall for her little scheme of whatever she was planning.

He pushed her hand away and gripped her shirt harder, "This is your fault you hear me!? You're the one who has completely turned my uncle against me, you're the reason my cousin is no longer living under the same roof as me, and you're also the heartless person who has completely destroyed my chances with the woman I love!"

Karin's brain probably couldn't handle Neji's outburst. Knowing her, she was probably staring deeply into his eyes and admiring his gorgeous looks.

She merely nodded and continued to stare.

Neji's fists clenched and closed his eyes. Chakra was transferred into his palms as he faced them towards her. Without a second thought he struck her violently without any mercy whatsoever.

His anger at this point was uncontrollable, and the speed at which he was hitting Karin's face was totally phenomenal.

Suddenly two long ribbon-like scrolls appeared out of nowhere and wrapped around Neji's waist, pulling him towards the opposite direction.

"_Tenten!"_

She stood there with a solemn look on her face. I haven't seen her since the night of the Hyuga engagement party. For the first time, her hair was actually open. She truly looked beautiful. Her natural dark brown hair complemented her skin and eyes. Her bangs were let out freely right above her chocolate brown eyes and the sleeves of her white colored qipao-styled top were ripped off and bandages covered her upper arms. Tenten had scratches on her face and her brown orbs showed feelings of depression and loneliness.

"T-Tenten!?" Neji questioned while staring at her surprised.

She couldn't bear to him as he moved closer to her inch by inch. He stroked her face and caressed her beautiful brown locks.

"Tenten…please…say something…"

It was so hard to watch these two together, especially after what the both of them have been through.

I caught small sparkles coming from her eyes…they must have been tears.

She focused her attention somewhere else and refused to look at him as he grabbed her face to force her to look at him.

"What's wrong with you!?" he demanded to know.

The strange thing was…Neji didn't look angry, it clearly showed on his face that he was hurt.

Tenten took a deep breath and made eye contact with him.

"I…I…"

Words were just not able to come out of her mouth, more tears sprouted from her eyes.

Neji gazed at her affectionately, it was like he realized he did something wrong and needed to be here for her. Without a second thought, he held her head delicately in between his larger calloused hands and kissed her passionately.

Tenten had no intention of breaking the kiss, she returned it and everyone else stared at the two in awe.

I cried at the sight, not just because it was for their happiness but my own. It touched my heart to see how much he really loved her for all these years even though Neji was forced to marry that witch. My heart burned because I longed for someone to love and care for me in that way.

And as I watched those two renew their love…my chakra was running low.

I turned my attention to Sasuke, who looked at me guiltily. The strange thing was…the way the two of us looked at each other. Our connection was strong, and I could feel it in all aspects of my body. My body itself was heating up, my mind was soothed by his very presence, and my very soul felt almost…complete…as if I needed him in my life all along.

Was Sasuke feeling the same way?

His eyes bore deeper into me and I forgot about all my pain and worries…I was completely oblivious to everything and everyone around me, all except for him.

Is it possible that this whole time, Uchiha Sasuke was also searching for love?

Think about it…he was born into one of the wealthiest and well-respected clans in the world. Eventually all that he loved was taken from him and he was left with nothing…nothing but the cruel and cynical reality to turn to. Sasuke must have used revenge as a new outlet, thinking that absolute power would help him to honor the Uchiha name.

All these years of killing so many innocent people didn't help him. Deep down I think Sasuke must have known. The Uchiha's were never a violent and vengeful family, in fact, they were the complete opposite. The Uchiha clan was a well known police force, helping to bring peace within Konoha and even between other nations.

Following Madara and living a life of revenge has finally taken a toll on him. I think love is possibly what has even been keeping him here to endure so many hardships. It's a feeling which would bring him happiness and eventually Sasuke would stop everything and live peacefully, restoring honor to the Uchiha name.

The two of us come from completely different worlds, but, we are similar in ways which I didn't even think we were.

I do know that love is something we have in common. It's something which I know that I've been dreaming about and it's something which Sasuke has been hoping for to happen. As I am currently feeling it, I'm feeling peaceful and hopeful.

My energy started to drastically increase. My chakra levels were fully restoring and my physical as well as emotional wellbeing was getting back to normal.

The sky was clearly a dark blue color. Hinata's pearl eyes sparkled evidently, Ino's flower-shaped ponytail was neatly polished, and Tsunade's red diamond on her forehead shined.

My vision was restored.

Then…my heart started to beat properly, and my organs were ceased malfunctioning.

I sat up and looked around me.

"S-Sakura…you're better!" exclaimed Ino as she wrapped me into a tight hug. It wasn't long until Hinata and joined in and almost choked me to death.

It made contented me to see my friends smiling again.

"Sakura…how did you suddenly get better?" Tsunade asked me with a relieved look.

Immediately I looked at Sasuke again, as if giving her the answer.

"_Love sure does some crazy things…"_

The fire stone in Madara's hand became brighter and the chakra radiating from it felt powerful.

"_Oh no…"_

"What's going on?" Chouji asked, dumfounded.

"It looks like somehow the fire stone has been activated and now…Madara can get what he wants…" Shikamaru informed.

Ino ran over to the 'genius' and bonked him on the head, "Baka! We can't let the old geezer do that! Don't you realize what's going to happen if he has control of everything?"

"Ummm too late Ino" Chouji pointed out.

I followed Ino-pig's gaze towards Madara and the Akatsuki.

"CREATION OF DEMON'S JUTSU!"

Yamato came to the scene as he embraced me, seeing how well I was doing. He stood up and faced Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade, shall I bring reinforcements? We need all the help-"

She cut him off, "What reinforcements!? Do you honestly think they're going to be of any help!? That bastard is going to use those precious jewels to summon all nine demon foxes out of their human vessels!"

"But Tsunade-san…doesn't that mean whoever holds a demon fox will die as soon as it leaves them? Rock Lee asked with a serious expression on his face.

She pressed her lips together as she placed her hands over her heart.

"Yes…" the ex-hokage said as a tear fell once it brushed off of her eyelashes.

She looked at me as if I knew what was going on, and I did.

Tsunade and I were the only ones who knew a human vessel of one of the demon foxes, and we didn't want to tell anyone else.

Hinata walked over to the group while tying up her long raven hair into a ponytail. She stared at me directly in the eyes. Her expression was surprised and shocked, because she didn't know what was going on.

"Who's going to die Sakura?"

This moment felt like it lasted for hours. Fear and anxiety clouded my mind. There she stood with tear marks staining her fair skin. I didn't want Hinata to suffer anymore than she actually was, because my pain felt heavy and unbearable. It was difficult to imagine what she was going to feel if she found out.

I couldn't speak…my throat became tight.

If only my mind could do all the talking to her for me….

"_Naruto…"_

**Author's Note: **This took forever to right which was why I was taking a while to update…well I hope you enjoyed it! I'm off because it's Thanksgiving break. I'll mostly likely write up another chapter this coming weekend!

Enjoy the holidays,

Sweetness.


	66. Rookie Nine's New Mission Leader

**Author's Note: **Hey Everyone! I hope you all aren't too mad at me, I know it's been like a month since I've updated this story. Like I said before, I will not abandon it like plenty of other authors. Now since you all love it so much, I will stop talking and let you all start reading!

Onto the next chappie!

**Chapter 66: Rookie Nine's New Mission Leader**

Naruto...

The one who would put his life on the line for those he loves. The sole individual I could count on for anything...

Who knew that the village delinquent known as the bane of my existence ended up becoming my best friend?

Life does have its surprises doesn't it?

Suddenly I felt someone shaking me. The person's large opal eyes seemed larger and the chakra-enhanced veins completely engrossed my attention.

Although we're good friends, I must admit that Hinata looks scary in this state.

"Tell me Sakura!" she demanded.

I focused my gaze elsewhere, and happened to look at Naruto's face. I started to notice that as the energy of the fire stone became stronger and more intense, his physical state started to weaken.

Why was this happening?

Everything became so confusing…and I didn't want any part of this.

"_Why can't everything and everyone be at peace? It isn't fair for other people to suffer because of someone else's selfish desires!"_

Just because I want things to be my way, it doesn't mean that things are automatically going to change. I need to calm down and think things through logically.

My mind began to process information as the others called for more reinforcements and began to formulate their own plans.

Before I could think things through…I noticed Hinata was still in front of me silently begging for an answer.

There was no way I wanted to make the situation worse than it already was, so I decided that telling a white lie would get me out of this predicament.

I merely shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know".

All she could do was blink and stare at me. I couldn't read her expression, but surprisingly enough, she left it alone and sat with Tsunade and the other group members to form a plan while I stood by myself trying to analyze the situation.

That is something I have always been good at, analyzing things.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to observe and point things out. Throughout my years as a ninja, I've been taught the proper techniques to improve my analytical skill.

My physical ability is the only component which has been wearing me down, and this is one of the most important skills a ninja needs to become successful.

My mental acuteness, however, is something which has been able to help me succeed even when I had not yet developed in my physical strength.

I immediately put my mind to work and began to study my surroundings. That same question rose again in my head,

"_Why is this happening to Naruto?"_

I began to sort through my mind things which people like Tsunade and Ayumu-san have stated of importance.

Finally, a light bulb suddenly appeared above my head.

I meant figuratively not literally!

"_Okay let's think here…so if each elemental stone summons each and every one of the nine demon fox spirits, then the fire stone is slowly summoning the Kyuubi out of Naruto. This means that the energy from the stone is causing the demon fox to increase in power, and as the fox starts to become more powerful, it will cause the human vessel to weaken because there is no other source of energy as the fox begins to leave the human body"._

I think I finally hit the jackpot.

After analyzing what was going on, I had to think of how to fix this problem.

Another question suddenly popped up into my mind, _"How exactly is the energy controlling the fox?"_

But before I could think any further, a scream was heard not too far away from me.

"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" the person seethed in pain.

I ran over to the scene and found everyone else gathered around Gaara. Temari held him tightly, trying to whisper soothing words into this ear.

"Gaara…please be alright!" she pleaded.

As long as I've known Temari, she's always put up this tough exterior. Gaara used to completely take advantage of both of his siblings, which made me wonder why they would put up with his behavior. Once Naruto left Konoha to train with Jiraiya, those two and half years seemed to change him.

They changed everyone.

Gaara seemed like the one to drastically change himself for his own good, and I started to like the new Gaara. He became selfless, willing, and a better person in general. I think he finally realized that killing other innocent people was not the answer to any of his problems and to save him from his tragic past. He needed to find a new outlet to provide himself with a better future, which would help him self and others.

That's why he was named Kazekage of the wind country, because Subaku no Gaara was the symbol of change for his nation.

His drive to become a better person did not go unnoticed by Temari and Kankuro. In fact, the relationship between all three of them grew stronger. Over the years, I followed their example and ended up becoming closer with my brothers.

That same Gaara who I became good friends with was in front of me, being held by his sister, cringing and yelling out in sheer pain.

His agonizing screams made everything more difficult to watch. Like Naruto, Gaara was also starting to become weaker as each minute passed.

"What's going on here!?" Tsunade demanded as she and Gaara's caretaker, Baki ran to the site.

Temari shook her head in frustration, "I…I don't know! We were all sitting here at this very spot trying to figure out what was going on with Naruto, then suddenly Gaara started to go ballistic! He was complaining of aches and pains all throughout his body, even on the inside".

"Did you ask him to perform a jutsu?" Baki asked.

This time Kankuro decided to answer, "There was no way we could, not in this state. I don't think Gaara is physically capable of doing anything right now".

Tsunade approached the kazekage and examined him. After some thorough examination, she gestured for me to come over.

I walked over to Tsunade and Gaara to look for anything peculiar affecting his body.

After placing my hand on his chest, I was able to feel powerful surges of energy flowing throughout his body. Something inside of him was pounding him, begging to come out.

That's when I realized it.

"It's Shukaku" I stated.

Murmurs were heard throughout as everyone just stared at me inquisitively.

"Shukaku?" Chouji repeated.

I nodded in response.

"What does the one-tailed fox inside my brother have anything to do with his condition?" asked Temari.

"Think Temari, Think! What else do you think could be causing that large surge of energy!?"

She blinked a couple times as I continued.

"That fox demon wants to leave Gaara's body because it can sense the energy coming from the wind shrine stone. That goes the same for Naru-"

I quickly stopped myself from going any further, afraid that I said too much. Naruto wouldn't want me telling anyone else about the Kyuubi, and I promised him I wouldn't tell any other soul.

Tsunade stared at me, almost relieved that I didn't give the entire thing away.

"What do you mean it goes the same for Naruto?" Kiba asked me.

My face began to heat up, and sweat was slowly dripping down my face. I usually am a horribly liar, but I had to make things work, especially if it's for Naruto.

I shook my head and pretended to rethink what I had just said, "Oh…did I say Naruto? Sorry I meant to continue on about Gaara, I have no idea why Naruto's name even came out of my mouth".

Kiba didn't even give me a suspicious look; he just shrugged and went on with his business.

"Sakura-san, your youthful mind is completely brilliant!"

I blushed at Lee's praise.

"_Score one for Sakuraaaaaaaaaaaa!" _ I inwardly cheered.

Everyone seemed to have a change in attitude, as if there was an inkling of hope. That was until I saw Hinata's crestfallen face. The way she was looking at Naruto worried me. All she could focus her attention on was him.

I walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling in assurance.

"Everything will be fine Hina…trust me…"

She faced me and smiled, as I clasped her hand tightly to give her strength.

Gaara's screams still filled the air until Tsunade retrieved her medical items from her bag and squeezed out a couple drops of a purple-colored serum from a long, clear tube.

"What is that?" Baki asked, concerned for the well being of the person he could call his son.

Tsunade placed a couple drops in Gaara's mouth, and suddenly, he ceased panicking. Actually, I think he was rendered unconscious.

She turned to the rest of us, ready to explain.

"This is a pain killer serum, which as you can tell, is designed to knock out the patient when about to perform a surgery. In this case, I am not performing any sort of surgery whatsoever, but this will sustain the pain and help him to be at ease. Gaara will wake up in an hour and a half so we better act fast".

"Why exactly is it purple? Aren't pain killers usually clear Tsunade-san?" Rock Lee asked.

Tsunade gazed at the liquid then looked back at Lee who smiled at her politely, "I extracted some of the snake venom from Orochimaru. It's special properties never wore out with time, although he died five or six years ago. I mixed it in with some of the pollen juices of the Sakura tree, tested it on a patient, and it worked".

"_Tsunade is a truly remarkable woman…who knew you could mix snake venom (Orochimaru's at that) with pollen juice from a Sakura tree (my namesake) and you get a painkiller! That's pure genius!"_

Everyone was in complete awe and stayed quiet until Ino spoke up.

"So what's our next step lady Tsunade?" the pig asked.

She looked around the group, "Well…I'm afraid that I cannot be with you for much longer, because of the amount of patients being treated and cared for over at the hospital. Shizune called and informed me of some severe and life-threatening injuries. Shikamaru, like always, I want you to lead this mission".

Shikamaru sat on the ground, scratching his head; he must have been trying to think things over to see if he was the right person to lead this mission.

He stood up and spoke, "Lady Tsunade…thank you for naming me as the head of this mission, but I am afraid that today…I cannot comply with your order".

That was very surprising. Usually Shikamaru listens and follows orders; he was never one to complain.

Everyone gasped and stared at him, including Tsunade, who raised her brow and gave him a suspicious look.

"What do you mean you can't comply with my order? I gave you an order, plain and simple, got it?"

Shikamaru's face changed from completely sleep-depraved to a serious and determined expression, "I mean that it's not my place to be the mission leader".

"Of course it's your place Shikamaru, I've given you the role as the leader for each and every mission ever since you were thirteen years old, what makes everything so different now?"

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against a tree, "Because this is a battle of friendship and true love. Yes it affects me because this is affecting both my village and friends…but true love…that is not on the line for me today, because my true love is safe with me".

As he spoke these words, the notorious lazy bum laid his eyes on Temari, staring at her affectionately. She smiled back at him as Gaara lay in her arms, I could see the connection between the two of them. There was nothing stopping their love, and I was happy to see it.

He continued on, "Our leader should be someone who we all know will put his or her effort into both aspects of this battle…both friendship and love…someone we all know who has been there for each and every one of us when we needed them the most. We need someone who will put their heart and soul into everything that they do who will never give up and inspires others to do the same".

His words…so encouraging and inspirational…who knew Nara Shikamaru out of all people would have the guts to say something like this? I've always seen him as the type who never acknowledged others. As the years passed, I've seen a different side of him. As Tsunade named Shikamaru as the mission leader, he helped his teammates to discover their talents and skills as well as his own. This, I believe has helped Shika to become more of a people person, because he is a natural-born leader.

"And who do you suggest should be this particular mission's leader?" Tsunade questioned.

The gusts of wind blew, causing nothing but dead silence. Each and every one of us were determined to risk our lives for Konohagakure, I could see it in everyone's eyes.

We are the dancing leaves of Konoha, we will fight as one, and we will succeed….I just know it.

I was ready to hear the name of our leader that they will carry out this mission successfully and this person will be honored and revered by Konoha once the Akatsuki is defeated.

Each and every person in this group is worthy to be named leader, this is something which has been worked towards by everyone and whoever it is will get the job done.

I watched as Shikamaru's mouth opened and spoke the name,

"Haruno Sakura".

**Author's Note: **Well that was chapter 66! Hope you liked it! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE!!!! Again, sorry I took forever to update, and another chapter will be posted soon, so stay tuned!

Happy holidays,

Sweetness.


	67. Operation: TEAM 12 COMMENCE!

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! So sorry that I've been keeping you all waiting, I know it's been like two months. Happy New Year!!!! Hope you all have goals and aspirations for yourself in this fantastic year of 2010, and I am hoping to get this story completed within this year. So let me hurry and present this next chapter!

**Chapter 67-Operation: Neji-Ten-Lee-Hina-Kiba-Shino-Ino-Shika-Cho-Kanku-Sai-Saku COMMENCE!**

"Haruno Sakura".

That was a shocker.

"_What in the world!? I don't even know if I'm in the physical condition right now to even be the mission leader, what's Shikamaru thinking!?"_

I stared incredulously at Shika who gave me a determined look as if he were telepathically telling me, "_I believe in you"._

Murmurs and gasps were heard amongst the large group of people.

"Well Sakura? What do you think?" Tsunade asked me, a little concerned that I wasn't as excited as she was probably hoping for me to be named mission leader.

The only thing I could do was nod, "Why me?"

Shikamaru merely nodded, "I just felt that this moment…it's your opportunity…your time…"

I raised a brow and persisted asking, "Okay…but why specifically is it _my _time? Look around you; can't you see that there are _plenty_ more capable candidates ready to take on the job as mission leader?"

He paused before speaking again, "Oh I know that…trust me… I've been around these people almost my entire life; I know exactly what they are capable of. Like I said before, this is a battle of friendship and true love, and both Naruto and Sasuke need saving".

Nara Shikamaru sure does some crazy things to your mind, he was really confusing me.

"Exactly why is it my duty if Naruto and Sasuke need help? Everyone here is a part of this mission" I continued questioning him.

Shika just sighed, ready to explain to me with a thorough answer.

"Think about it…you and Naruto are the closest two out of our entire group…out of our entire village for that matter. He needs you and you need him, you are best friends. As for Sasuke…look at him…"

I followed his gaze and watched Sasuke just standing there, very deep in thought as if he was completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

"He's being tortured" Shikamaru simply stated.

"Tortured?" I repeated.

He nodded, "I can read people's facial expressions by what they are thinking. Sasuke is torn between power and love".

I was wide-eyed, "L-Love?"

"He's in love with you Sakura…"

No words were able to come out of my mouth…I was rendered speechless…

Shika continued speaking, "I know what you're thinking…why he's betrayed you like this. Sasuke hasn't been surrounded by people who love and care for him for a long time…think about it if you were in his situation. The Uchiha is torn between what he _thinks _is right and what is _actually _the right thing to do".

"_And I will show him what's right…"_

"I'll do it".

Everyone stopped talking and stared at me.

Without a second thought, I said it again, "I will be the mission leader of this 12 man squad".

Tsunade approached me and smiled while grasping my shoulders, "You will do just fine my Sakura…you will make all of Konoha proud".

She left along with Shizune who bid the rest of us farewell while heading back to the hospital.

After the two women left, Yamato turned to us and spoke, "Konoha is in the hands of each and every one of you. You all have the strength, capability, and endurance to take on Madara…I just know it".

"You will fight along side us won't you Yamato-san?" Rock Lee asked.

He grinned and nodded, "of course".

Suddenly everyone turned their attention to me.

"So…what's the plan general pinky?" teased Kiba.

I smiled at his childishness, and then reverted back to my unsure state.

"I…I'm not really sure. Look this all can't come from me, you guys have to help too" I said.

"Why don't we set up this entire plan into a sequence?" suggested Chouji.

"Sequence?" Temari asked, uncertain as to where Chouji was getting at.

Our big-boned friend nodded, "Yeah…like each and every person in this group utilizes their techniques against the Akatsuki, but we do so in order to make things more organized".

"Are you referring to the eight-man squad that went looking for Orochimaru?" Lee asked to make sure.

Before Chouji could nod again, assuring Lee that this in fact was the plan, Ino literally jumped with excitement.

"Oh my…Chouji this is by far the most ingenious plan you have _ever, _and when I mean ever you've never come up with one, come up with! You guys, this is for sure going to work!"

Shikamaru laid a hand on the pig's shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Would you keep it down!? Geez…troublesome girl…" he muttered.

Ino-pig's eyes grew wide and filled with rage and fury, she never liked it whenever Shika called her "troublesome".

But that was all part of what made them friends right? I'm sure deep down she knew that.

"Troublesome!? I wouldn't talk lazy party pooper!" She stated while childishly sticking out her tongue, aggravating him even more.

"Ino-chan…Shikamaru is right, true we've come up with this plan but don't get too hasty…we need to actually talk about it amongst each other for more in depth detail" Hinata explained.

Shikamaru gave the pearl-eyed beauty a, "Thanks for saving my butt" look.

That's Hina for you…always the sensible and down-to-earth one!

"So where do we start?" I spoke up, trying to get everyone back on track.

"Well how many Akatsuki members did Madara bring with him?" Temari pointed out.

I looked around, taking a mental count of each person.

"_Hmmm let's see…well there's Madara himself, but let's not count him. Then there's the red-headed bimbo-"_

I snickered at the thought of Karin being hit by a rock.

After stifling a quick chuckle, I went back to counting everyone else in the group.

"_Suigetsu…Jugo…Tobi…Zetsu…Hidan…Kakuzu…"_

I continued to look around, was there someone I was missing?

"_Uchiha Sasuke…"_

Suddenly a wet-like substance rolled down my cheek.

"_Ughhh! Why in the world am I crying!? I thought I was strong!"_

"Sakura-san, is everything alright?" Lee asked.

"_Crap…he saw me…"_

Quickly I brushed my tears away and shrugged everything off, "Everything's just fine Lee".

My fake smile of course was transparent; I was never able to hide my emotions well.

"It's Sasuke isn't it?" he asked.

At the mentioning of the name of the person I fell in love with, I couldn't help myself but to break down and cry.

Hinata and Ino comforted me…which was something I really needed….

"T-Thank you…." I said.

"There are nine of them total…including Madara himself…" Neji stated while keeping a firm grip around Tenten's waist.

"Then if there are nine…we need all twelve of us to participate in this plan, to make a stronger impact on the enemy forces" Shino stated.

Aburame Shino, AKA: The Bug Boy or the insect king has become somewhat sociable. I've noticed he mostly associates with Hinata and Kiba. He may be the only one out of our entire group who isn't really, nor has ever been, romantically interested in anyone. He usually keeps to himself during group gatherings, but I've noticed when talking to him on an individual basis, Shino can actually hold up quite an intellectual conversation!

Not that I would ever doubt that though.

"Sakura…since you are our leader it is up to you to pick out the order of this sequence for this plan" Yamato stated.

I took a deep breath and observed the situation around me.

"Alright…well first off…I don't want Gaara left by himself, someone needs to stay and look after him".

There was a long pause as everyone looked around each other.

"I'll do it" Temari spoke up.

Everyone looked towards her direction as Shikamaru walked over and held her hands into his.

"You'll be alright by yourself won't you?" He asked concernedly.

I loved the look Shika was giving Temari. Although she didn't show it, Temari was probably drowning into those soft brown eyes of his.

"I'll be fine Shikamaru" she stated nonchalantly with a little tinge of irritation of being looked after by someone.

He could sense her frustration and walked back to the rest of us hearing what I was going to say next.

I did feel a bit sorry for Shika…but I guess Temari was not in the right state to act all "lovey dovey" towards her boyfriend. After all, her younger brother was in pain.

"I think we should start with Kiba and Akamaru being up at the front to sniff out any peculiar scents or tracks, would you be up for it _Fang?"_

Kiba grinned, "You bet'cha Pinky".

After smiling, I nodded and continued to speak.

"After Kiba should be Shikamaru. Shika this way you would be able to determine the situation and act quickly based on what's happening. If there is, most likely there will be, danger ahead use your shadow-based abilities. Next we're going to have double times. So the first out of these will be Shino and Kankuro. Kankuro, with your puppets I know you have a jutsu which will be able to disguise these wooden things as actual people, and Shino, use your insects as an advantage. It's possible you could store your bugs into the puppets as a little surprise attack".

I was actually worried what in the world they were thinking. It's possible these ideas just don't make sense together. I mean a puppet mixed with insects…does that even work?

"Next, will be Ino and Sai. Ino I want you to use your shadow-clone jutsu and be able to transfer yourself into the minds of the other enemies".

To that the pig didn't complain, she actually nodded and complied with my order and partly blushed because she was going to be Sai.

I did that intentionally of course.

"After Ino, Sai I would like you to potentially 'blind' the enemy with a barrage of ink techniques which will give Ino more of an advantage to be able to switch minds with the enemy. Next I want Tenten and Hinata to attack using both the weapon techniques and the ancient Hyuuga wind-based techniques. Rock Lee, you and Chouji must follow shortly after".

Those two didn't seem to be too happy about working together.

"You two will be working together because I thought this would be a good tag-team. Couji, since you are the bulkiest member of the group, you would be the right person to deliver the final blow and do the most damage to the Akatsuki. Lee, you are agile and light on your feet. In tag teams, you need contrast, and you should put yourself before Chouji since you are a pretty swift ninja".

Lee blushed at my compliment as I smiled back at him.

"And last but not least is going to be Neji. Your Byaakugan I know is a little more well-developed then Hinata's and your keener sense of vision is going to be pretty useful for any 'blind spot' attacks".

No one spoke after my long spiel; I wondered exactly what each of them was thinking.

"Any questions?" I followed up after speaking.

"Saku-chan where will you be in all of this?" Hinata asked me.

Realization hit me, where was I supposed to be in this plan?

"I'll think of something" I assured her.

"So are you all ready?" Yamato asked.

I took a deep breath, "We should be, aren't you going to be a part of this?"

He nodded, "The other jonin need me. Pakkun was just sent over not too long ago to inform me of aerial attacks close to the hokage tower".

He must have spotted the worried look on my face.

Yamato-sensei approached me and spoke.

"You will do just great…I have all the faith in the world".

And with that, he left.

"Well ugly? Are we just going to stand here or fight for our village?" Sai asked as everyone continued to stare at me.

From the corner of my eye I cold see Sasuke staring at me with his crestfallen face, breaking my heart even more and replaying Shikamaru's words in my head again.

"_He's in love with you Sakura…"_

My fists clenched, and suddenly, hope and determination were the only things on my mind right now.

It wasn't just me…I could sense the feeling inside of everyone…it was our time to shine.

And without another thought I knew we were ready more than anything.

"Let Operation: Neji-Ten-Lee-Hina-Kiba-Shino-Ino-Shika-Cho-Kanku-Sai-Saku COMMENCE!"

**Author's Note: **Well there was chapter 76, I hope you guys liked it! I will try my best to update soon, I know it's been a while and I'm sorry for taking to long. Stay tuned for the next Chappie!

Love you all,

Sweetness.


	68. Fate

**Author's Note: **Hey readers! I know, I know. It's been five months since I last updated. This school year has been a real hectic one for me, and I've had a busy schedule throughout the entire month of June. Recently I reread some chapters of this story, and after reaching the end of the previous chapter, I felt the need to continue this fanfic! I mean from the viewpoint of the reader, and not the author, it's becoming really suspenseful! After all this time, I will make you wait no longer.

Here's chapter 68!

**Chapter 68: Fate**

It was time...

I was downright positive this plan would work, I mean, what else could be better than an organized formation of 12 highly-skilled ninja!

Each and every member of this squad had determined looks on their faces, and the confident atmosphere gave the barely conscious citizens hope that Konoha would succeed in this fourth shinobi war.

As Madara continued to laugh maniacally, I had everyone line up in their positions from Kiba and Akamaru in the front ending with Neji in the very back. Each and every Akatsuki member raised up their own stone to the skies, while chanting an ancient language. This was the perfect chance to strike, after all, Madara and his cronies were vulnerable.

"Sakura-san"

I turned to the direction of the voice and found Ayumu-san limping towards me.

"Ayumu-san! What are you doing here? I thought Shizune-san took you back to the hospital!"

He smiled, "Oh she did! I feel better, and now I think it's time to vanquish Madara and all of the wickedness he has unleashed into this world".

Nodding, I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ayumu-san, you don't look better to me at all. You can barely stand, and limping is not going to do you any good!"

"Please Sakura-san...it is my duty...it has always been my destiny to aid the heart of Konoha..."

I blinked a couple times and rubbed the inside of my ear to make sure my hearing was correct, "The heart of Konoha? What's that?"

"It is a part of the prophecy...a legend which has been passed down since the very founding of Konohagakure".

_"Okay looks like Tsunade-san gave him a little too much morphine..."_

He still confused me, but I proceeded with the plan anyway.

"Okay everyone...there's really no time to give a pep talk but i'm only going to say this once: We've all been together and witnessed how much we've grown from inexperienced genin to highly-skilled and experienced jonin. So much is expected from us, because the lives of everyone we love are on the line. If we don't take full advantage of this opportunity to do some good for our village...then we will shame Konoha. As your long-time friend, I Haruno Sakura will fight with you until the very end to defeat this monster and bring peace and prosperity into the land of fire. Keep the images and good memories of your loved ones in mind as we complete this mission. If we die...we die for honor. If we are left barely alive...we will strive and continue to live for those who were not given the chance to".

I paused, took a deep breath, and faced the group. It seemed as if the other Konoha citizens heard exactly what I said, and smiled in return. My teammates bowed respectfully and nodded in agreement. They positioned themselves properly and prepared for battle. After I nodded, signaling for them to go...they left...ready to do what was right for our home.

As the chanting grew louder, I noticed Naruto looked even weaker. His muscles grew smaller, and he moaned of the sheer pain piercing through his body. I wanted to help him...but I wasn't sure what exactly I could_ do_ to ease the pain. My instincts took over and I rushed over to his side while watching team 12 commence the plan. Tsunade gave me an extra tube of the painkiller serum she used on Gaara, so I decided to use it for Naruto's benefit. I held his mouth open as he started to scream louder and gave him two drops of the purple liquid. This serum is quite strong, but I wanted to make sure he was knocked out for a while.

"I can smell most of the chakra leaving each of their bodies to give the stones more power" Kiba informed.

Next I looked to Shikamaru to see how he would handle this situation.

"We are going to barrage the enemy, everyone get ready".

I waited for the next move as Shika counted down, "3...2...1...attack!"

"White fang spirit barrage!"

This looked like a new technique, Kiba must have worked really hard on this one. Akamaru raised his large ears and lifted his head up high while Kiba did the same with his arms. They both leaned towards each other and a green light surrounded both of them. Flashes of silver could be seen within the mix of fluorescent colors. After a while, a loud howl could be heard in the distance. The mist cleared, revealing Kiba but no sign of Akamaru. His eyes were pupiless, and his fangs became more prominent. The original red markings on both sides of his face grew significantly in size into a shade of dark grey. His fingernails were approximately four inches longer, and a silver glow surrounded his canine-like figure. Without hesitation, Kiba sprinted to the Akatsuki members and planned to take each of them out one by one. He landed a piercing bite on Suigetsu, whose concentration broke and fought back with an army of his clones made of the water from underground.

Next was Shikamaru's turn. He closed his eyes and formed his arms into an X-shape. This formation allowed him to control the shadows from Madara and the rest of his group, eventually tying them together so they could all be controlled in one movement.

Shino and Kankuro wasted no time after as an army of puppets was placed directly behind the Akatsuki, with the insects positioned inside their wooden hideouts.

Ino moved up in line, cloned herself, and performed her mind control jutsu. This way, the chanting would stop and Madara's plan would not be able to proceed. Sai created his group of ink creatures and sent them flying to retrieve the stones.

Afterwards, Hinata attached her chakra needles to Tenten's ribbon-like scrolls as she wrapped them around each person, completely paralyzing them.

Rock Lee, along with everyone else who did their part in the plan, went and fought the Akatsuki members.

"Alright everyone, let us hold these fiends in place to let Chouji finish them off with his final blow!" Lee ordered.

Everyone agreed and did just what they were told.

Chouji stood grounded and prepared with his human bullet proof tank. Honest to god, the sight was like actually being in a bowling alley! He blew them all into little pieces!

They weren't able to get back up of course, because they were completely immobilized by the chakra needles and Shikamaru's shadow-based jutsu.

All of the Akatsuki members were down...we gave it our all...and we did it...

I checked on Naruto to see if he got any better. Instead I found that his condition grew much worse. I spotted the snout of the Kyuubi moving its way through Naruto's stomach.

"_No! This can't be! If the Kyuubi leaves Naruto's body, then he'll die!"_

Nothing was making sense to me...I mean nobody was controlling the jewels...so why was it that the Kyuubi was still able to come out of its human vessel?

Unless there was another source...

Suddenly...laughter could be heard not too far away from me...

"You thought you could still defeat me...you brats..." a deep voice spoke.

Turning to that very direction, I found Uchiha Madara standing above his unconscious team of Akatsuki members. There was something about him which looked quite different to me. It was hard to tell since it was dark outside though.

"Someone help!" Temari called out.

Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and I rushed to her side wondering what was going on.

"Temari-chan, what happened?"

"GAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Gaara screamed.

"I-It's Gaara! His pain seemed to have gotten much worse, and I-I don't know what to do! Sakura, I tried giving him some of that painkiller serum which lady Tsunade used on him earlier, but it's not knocking him out!"

Things were getting increasingly more frustrating as time went on. I was at a loss for words. No plans or ideas came to me. It seemed as if we were all losing hope.

As Gaara continued to scream, Shukaku was making its way through the human gate.

"N-No! S-Shukaku!"

Kankuro ran to the scene and proceeded to attack the one-tailed fox. Nothing would work. Any blow given to Shukaku would be given to Gaara.

I faced Madara, "Y-You monster! What have you done! How is is that the fox spirits are escaping from their human vessels!"

Here merely shrugged and chuckled sadistically, "Look at my eyes..."

Everyone did the same and gazed upon his face. His eyes were nowhere to be seen. Just the deep crevices of blackness as blood dripped down his cheeks.

No one spoke, and he continued to explain.

The power of the Uchihas is an incredible one isn't it? Yes your plan worked, how clever I might add. You easily decieved my subordinates and they fell for it...now they can suffer".

"S-Suffer! How could you? They were more than just your subordinates! How could you just push them aside and treat them all like trash! Don't you understand the meaning of friendship?" I questioned.

He laughed, that frightening manical laugh, "I could care less. They were my pawns to help fulfill my plan. Clearly I am self-sufficient enough to do things on my own...towards the end they became of no use to me. Now to finish answering your question. The heavens are what give these jewels power, because the so-called 'Gods' created them. It was later I figured out that these stones could be susceptible to change. The Mangeyko Sharingan has special properties...especially during a solar eclipse..."

_"A solar eclipse!"_

"Once a solar eclipse occurs, the corona of the sun being blocked turns into a dark red color and a large black cloud moves in front".

As he spoke these words, the same thing started to happen in the sky.

"I-It looks like the Mangeyko Sharingan..." I pointed out.

"Exactly, you seem to be catching on quite well. I sacrificed my eyesight to create this phenomenon, and it wouldn't matter if I could see or not, because everything will be destroyed anyway. Once the black cloud comes into direct contact with the red light from the sun's corona, then each of the jewels will be strengthened through the wicked spirits which are helping to make this eclipse possible. Once this happens, each of the nine fox demons will break out of their human vessels and with me as the one who controls them, they will be unstoppable".

There was nothing we could do...how on Earth could we stop this eclipse?

Rock Lee ran, and tried to stop Madara...but his power was too great...Lee was sent flying into a glass building.

"Lee!" Tenten called.

_"His power is just too great, what are we supposed to do?"_

As Madara disposed the bodies of his former subordinates, I went to check up on Sasuke.

He hasn't been his normal self. Was it that hard to just pick sides? Doesn't he know that going against Madara would be the right thing to do and save Konoha?

"S-Sasuke?"

His beautiful face gazed up at the sky, he wouldn't look at me.

"S-Sasuke...p-please..."

Still no answer.

"T-Talk t-to m-me..."

The tears were too much to handle. I was just about to break down right then and there.

I gathered all of my strength together and wiped my tears away, "Don't you love me?"

And to that, he turned his attention away from the foreboding eclipse and faced me. I was scared and nervous for whatever he was going to say. He had the same guilty look on his face, and I was getting worried. We inched closer and closer until there was barely any space between us. I longed for him right here by my side. The only reason I had my heart set on fighting was _because _of him. He completed me, and I couldn't bear to lose him now.

Sasuke cupped my chin into his hand as our eyelashes brushed against each other, "Thank you Haruno Sakura..."

_"T-That was it? He couldn't even have said that he loved me? Does he even love me at all? Is he just toying with my feelings!"_

I wanted to go against my thoughts and remind myself that he genuinely did care for me, but once he stood up and left, all hope was gone.

He stood by Madara and did not look back; ready to turn back to his evil ways. After all that we've been through...didn't anything get through to his head? Didn't he listen at all to me? Maybe things were supposed to be this way...this was our fate...that he was never born to love...

...and I was never born to be loved...

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 68! What did you think? Remember: REVIEW PLEASE! Again, sorry folks about not updating beforehand. I reallyyyyyyyy want to finish this story soon, so I'll try to update either sometime this weekend or early next week.

Tootles!

Sweetness 3


	69. The Legendary Triumvirate

**Author's note: **Hello, Hello…you guys I am SO SORRY! It's been MONTHS! Thankfully it's the long weekend, happy almost Easter for those who celebrate it! I'm a senior in high school this year so I get out early and I can make more time to hopefully finish this fanfic once and for all! So I can get started on more! Here's a little treat for you guys for being so patient with me, it's a bit long. So it will keep you occupied as I continue writing the next chapter! Well enough of the chit-chat, let's READ!

**Chapter 69: **The Legendary Triumvirate

"_I love you…I love you…I love you so much…"_

That's all I could think as he stood by Madara…my heart was breaking into tiny little glass shards…this heart break at the same time affected my power, as well as my emotional state of being. There was no way I could continue fighting. Watching Naruto, my teammates, and the villagers forced me to keep going. There was no choice left.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Ayumu-san…this is no time for comfort…"

He surprisingly chuckled, "Sakura-san…you left yourself out of the plan…"

He made a great point; I spent so much time thinking what everyone else should do. _I'm _the leader for goodness sake! What was I doing?

"That's the problem Ayumu-san…I don't know what to do. Can you not see what's above us? Once that black cloud makes contact with the red light, everything will be over and Madara will win. It's too late…"

He nodded, as if disagreeing with me, "You are the heart of Konoha…"

"Can you tell me what the heart of Konoha is?" I asked.

"Are you both talking about that legend?" Ino inquired.

I nodded as Rock Lee approached and answered my question, "One of the greatest legends passed down since the founding of Konoha. It was said that these three ninja were the very first sannin. There names were: Ai, Satoshi, and Yasuo. Each of them was sent from the heavens to fulfill a mission. Ai was a goddess, the goddess of love, who took the form of a human girl. She was beautiful, outside and in. She represented love and refused to marry any of the men who asked for her hand, fearful that marriage would get in the way of her mission. Yasuo embodied all things physical, and that was mostly, the human body. He was, in fact, a muscular God. One who, even as a human, surpassed the strength of many ninja leaders, this includes the Hokage of that time. Satoshi, represented the human mind and intellect. He was sharp, quick-witted, and wise. Although he possessed all of the intelligence in the world, he was cruel and lonely. He was in shape as Yasuo, but spent most of his time training his mind. As the three grew up as human beings, both Satoshi and Ai slowly fell in love. He no longer felt lonely and bitter, and she, learned to feel love herself even though her job was to spread the emotion to those who needed it, to stop war and bring peace."

He continued as we listened in awe, "These three beings represent the three main qualities all shinobi should possess: Physical strength, acuity of the mind, and love for one's country, other people, and oneself. Ai and Satoshi later married and….well….errmmm….consummated their marriage…"

Lee immediately paused and stared at me while I awkwardly ushered him to keep going as Ino giggled girlishly.

"Their consummation created the fire stone, as a symbol of their eternal love. Both Ai and Satoshi left for the heavens together, leaving it in the hands of their trusted friend, Yasuo. Although beautiful, the stone was dangerous if tampered with."

"Lee…wait a sec…Madara told us that _he _created the fire stone himself, are you sure you're right?" Ino butt in.

Rock Lee nodded in frustration, "He's false. This is what _really _happened Ino-san. Ai fell ill and died, leaving Satoshi in a period of grief and despair. I forgot to mention that these two were brothers, Satoshi the elder and Yasuo the younger. Their father, the Sage of the Six paths, asked both of them how they would use this stone to bring order into the world. Satoshi, who inherited his father's Sharingan and became consumed with his power, declared that power was the key to true peace. Yasuo, who inherited the body of his father, disagreed and stated that love was the true way to bring order into the world."

Tenten and Neji appeared at the scene, wanting to listen to the ancient tale with Tenten asking, "Who exactly _was _the Sage of the Sox paths if you mind me asking before continuing on with the rest of the story?"

Ayumu-san answered for her, "The Sage of the Six Paths was the founder of ninjutsu, and therefore, the ninja world. He was a priest many centuries ago and preached the rules of ninjutsu all over the world, and this became a religion. He is known as the God of all Shinobi, and all of us priests worship him, to achieve enlightenment in the ways of the shinobi, how to achieve peace in a world of constant conflict."

Tenten nodded as Neji continued the story for Lee, "As the Sage of the Six Paths lay on his death bed, he chose Yasuo to be his successor. Satoshi, filled with envy and rage, attacked his younger brother. This resulted in a feud between the two, and later amongst their descendants: the Senju and Uchiha clans. Just to clear things up, Yasuo's descendants were the members of the Senju clan and Satoshi's were members of the Uchiha clan. Excluding the fire stone, the Uchiha clan created the other elemental stones. The two clans made an agreement which would allow the Senju clan to choose who would hold each of the jewels since the Uchihas created them. Ai's spirit continued to live on and sent the message to Hasirama Senju, the first Hokage, to choose the greatest medical ninja of all time to bear the fire stone, stating that a medical ninja has the capability to manipulate pain. That they refuse for others to bear such a responsibility and greater oppression in their lives. The sole purpose of a medical ninja is to protect those dear to them, and by keeping this stone, human kind would be relieved of that pain. People searched for years to find the medical ninja who supposedly held this stone. There was nothing, and people gave up. Now we find thousands of years later, that you Haruno Sakura, possess Ai's and Satoshi's symbol of love".

"_No pressure or anything…"_

"Was there a reason for why Ai chose me to hold her stone?" I asked.

Ayumu-san nodded, "Some say she could see into the future…she must have sensed that Madara would continue Satoshi's evil deeds and plan to destroy the world. She could have been you in your past life, Sakura-san. You are to carry on her mission, to spread peace and love in our world."

"How do I do that? Clearly the stone was created by more than one person, so I need someone to help me."

Footsteps approached our group, we could vaguely see Hinata's silhouette. She stood next to me, exuding confidence, ready to answer my question.

"This is the legend of the ancient triumvirate. Ai placed her power into you as she hoped you would carry out her mission. My mother told me this story before she died. She said that Ai's great descendant must reunite with two people: the one's holding both Satoshi and Yasuo's spirits. I remember walking into the ancient Hyuuga temple five years ago, reading a scripture about this prophesy that the triumvirate will be together again and vanquish a great evil. We have to find out who Satoshi's and Yasuo's descendants are, fast before it's too late."

"Well that would be great, if she knew who those people were Hina", Tenten informed.

"Everyone, it's time! The black cloud is a minute from touching the red light. When this happens, the most powerful form of the Mangeyko Sharingan will be revealed and the world will be destroyed."

"Sakura! Stand in the red light!" ordered Shikamaru.

"Are you crazy! Why would you ask her to do _that_, Shikamaru-BAKA!" Ino yelled.

"Shut it, Ino. There's no time! Sakura, hurry and do it!"

I took off and ran as fast as I could, finally positioning myself under the red light.

A weakened Karin on the ground next to Suigetsu stared after, "What are you doing, FOREHEAD! You're going to get yourself killed!"

Madara snapped his head in her direction, "What the hell are you doing, you wretch! She's the _enemy_, you work for_me! _"

She struggled to stand, while taking Suigetsu's hand, "You know what, Madara! Frankly I am TIRED, okay! TIRED of you mistreating us! We're freaking human beings, don't you think we deserve some damn RESPECT!"

"How _dare_ you speak out of term while I commence with my plan. You will face severe consequences."

She continued to speak out of term, causing Madara to knock her senseless in to a boulder, causing her severe damage. I was shocked, and had no choice but to run and help her.

"S-Sak-kur-ra…d-don-n't d-do i-it….s-stay u-un-nd-der t-the r-red light…" Karin said, as blood gushed from her head, rendering her unconscious.

I never liked Karin, but I felt sorry for her. I wanted to do something to help. Thankfully, Suigetsu ran to her rescue, comforting her. She never responded to him, and he died inside.

"KARINNNNNN! WHY? MADARA YOU MONSTER!" he yelled.

At this point, all of Madara's minions retaliated, wanting freedom and independence and respect.

All except for Sasuke.

This gave me a perfect chance to continue standing under the red light ready to do for whatever was necessary. My teammates ran towards my location and coached me for what I was supposed to do next.

It was really Shikamaru doing it, since he was the one who thought of the plan.

"_I hope he knows what he's doing…"_

As I stood under the red light, the warmth radiating from it comforted me. The energy surrounded the empty heart cavity from inside my body and sent signals all over the area. Each of the elemental stones was affected, sensing the good energy coming from me. Some of it was sent towards Naruto, and surprisingly, he stopped screaming! The snout went back inside of his body and his chakra levels increased tremendously. Shukaku returned inside Gaara, and he continued to rest peacefully.

"W-What _is _this!" Madara screamed in horror, at the change of his plans to destroy the universe.

The radiating power caused me to speak without even thinking what to say, "Yasuo…you have awakened!"

Clearly I did not know any Yasuo. This must have been Ai speaking through me! As she spoke, I turned my head to where she was speaking, it was towards Naruto!

He held a warm smile on his face, looking as healthy as ever.

"You were able to control your physical strength, to not let that wicked Kyuubi out. For that I thank you, Yasuo."

Naruto looked like he had no idea what I, or Ai in this case, was talking about.

"Sakura-chan! You're better, glad to see it! Dunno who this Yasuo guy is, but. Let's kick some ass!"

"_That's weird…why doesn't he respond as Yasuo? Maybe Ai possibly mistook him for Yasuo?"_

"_**Not quite, Sakura-san…"**_

"_What! W-Whose there?"_

"_**It's Ai of course! I'm speaking to you telepathically; think of me as your inner-self. To answer your question…Yasuo was not given the ability to transcend time and speak as himself through Naruto-san. What's interesting is that Naruto's body, immediately responded from the signals our energy sent him."**_

"_Well…yeah…but so did Gaara!"_

"_**That's true, but Gaara does not have the strength to get up and fight immediately. That's something Yasuo was known for…he had the physical strength to overcome just about anything…even if it's a nine-tailed fox. Naruto subconsciously remembers me, even if he supposedly says he doesn't. We now need the power of the last member of the triumvirate, Satoshi."**_

"_Didn't the power of the stones affect the descendant of Satoshi as well?"_

"_**Yes…why don't you see for yourself…"**_

I snapped out of my thoughts, observing the outside world. Naruto immediately held my hand, uniting our powers. All seemed well, until Sasuke was close to ending a resting Gaara's life. I'm assuming he did this because Madara was also after the Shukaku, somehow hoping this could affect the disturbance of the stones since both the power of the jewels and the Jinchuuriki go hand in hand.

"GAARA!" Temari screamed, hoping Sasuke would stop his heinous act.

Immediately, Neji, Kankuro, Kiba, and Lee attacked him, putting in their best effort. Sasuke defeated them all, his power was unbelievably strong. He unsheathed his katana and aimed it towards Gaara's stomach, he had to be stopped.

"SASUKE!"

As if recognizing my voice, he turned towards me. As the radiating red light hit my back, my confidence increased hoping that in some way I could get through to him.

"I LOVE YOU! PLEASE STOP!"

He stood there, frozen. My body moved on its own, as if Ai were somehow controlling me. I ran as fast as I could until I stopped and wrapped my arms around him, crying into his shirt.

"P-please…please s-stop…" I begged.

Maybe it's the way I said…or just what I said…finally got through to him. He looked like he had an epiphany.

"_**You did it!"**_

"_Did what? How exactly did I do it, even thought I don't know what 'it' is?"_

"_**He sensed the energy, radiating from your heart. The inner Satoshi must have recognized it, the one who I grew to know and love…not the jealous fiend. You saved him, Sakura." **_

"_Ai…I see no change…he's staring out into space…he doesn't love me…he didn't even say anything! Okay, just how-"_

"I'm sorry, my love…I didn't know what I was thinking. Please, I've been lost, broken, and confused. There was never any meaning in my life, even while working with Madara…not until I found you. We loved each other in our distant past, I love you now, and will continue to love you even after death. You are my world…anything and everything I could ever ask for. Never did I think my tragic life could lead me to you. I love you Haruno Sakura, and I want to fight to protect this village, and most importantly, you. Will you forgive me?"

I didn't bother answering, and instead, kissed him which he gladly returned. I felt so complete, and invincible, that nothing could sever our unbreakable bond.

"Yo Sakura-chan! Teme! Stop with the love fest, and let's get to it! THEN you guys can get a room!"

We ignored him and thought for a long time what our next plan should be.

"_**Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke…"**_

She was no longer just in my thoughts, we could all hear her.

"_**Join hands…and to everyone else…form a circle outside of the three of them…and transfer your chakra so they will possess more power…"**_

We all did as she said and waited for what was going to happen next.

"_As the legendary triumvirate reunites, this allows the other chosen members of this group to summon the four of the five treasures of the Six Sage Paths himself. Temari, Gaara, Shikamaru, and Neji it is your job to do this. Tenten, you possess the Bashoshen. This is the banana palm fan, capable of generating all five of the basic elemental chakra natures. Gaara, you have the_Benihisago. With this, you can control and trap an individual's word soul by simply saying, record. Shikamaru, you hold the kikinjo, the golden canopy rope. By saying the verbal command, 'Bind and draw out', you can draw out the word soul of anyone the rope comes in contact with. Finally, Neji, you possess the schichiseiken, the seven star sword. It can be used to sever the word soul of the person who is struck by the kokinjo. Transfer all of your chakra into these items, and when doing so, you will allow the triumvirate to bring forth the Kohaku no Johei. This is the most important of the five items. It will allow Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to finally seal this great evil known as Madara Uchiha." Tenten, Gaara, Shikamaru, and Neji transferred their chakra into these items. In turn, the power of the triumvirate increased. Separately, they were known as the mind (sasuke), body (naruto), and heart (sakura). Together, they created the shinobi's soul. It encompassed all that made them shinobi with their dreams, hopes, and ambitions. This emitted a silver light, creating the Kohaku no Johei. "Ai! Toshi! Yasu! NO JUTSU!" Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto cried. "What is this! Everything's ruined!" Madara screamed. He ran towards the source of all this power, hoping to stop all of this. The wind blew hard, and prevented his speed. Instead it picked him up, and his soul was literally thrown into the purifying pot, and sealed forever. The silver light spread across the dark skies, rid of the solar eclipse, and reinvigorated the sick, the ill, and the injured.

It was all over…I almost fainted from the amount of chakra I used. As it turned out, the fire stone was destroyed due to the all of the chakra used up in the process. Every other stone was sent back to the villages they rightfully belonged to.

"Sakura-chan! We did it! Hellz to the YEAH!" Naruto cheered.

Everyone joined the three of us. It was a happy occasion, but I was disappointed. We defeated the greatest evil known to all shinobi, but, there was no fire stone. That was Konoha's most precious treasure. Without it, the leaf ninja have nothing to cherish.

"What's wrong, Saku?" Ino asked, cheerful of our victory.

Before I could answer, the ex Akatsuki members surrounded Karin who Madara sent crashing into the boulder. We followed them and found Suigetsu crying, which was strange, because he seemed to detest Karin every time I've seen the two of them together.

"K-Karin…" Suigetsu spoke while stroking her scratched face.

Hinata felt for a pulse, "I can feel her heart slightly bleeding. She got really lucky."

I placed my hand on her heart, concentrated my chakra into that area, to make it beat faster again. It worked!

Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and Suigetsu seemed to be the only one in her line of vision right now, "S-Suigetsu?"

He held her hand, "Shhhh….I'm here…you're fine now. Everything's going to be alright…"

"I-I love you, Suigetsu…I always have and I always will…"

And with that, her eyes shut again.

"K-KARIN!"

"_Relax_, she just fainted. We're taking her back to the hospital" Shizune informed, causing Suigetsu to calm himself.

All of the physical pain caused by the chakra blockage took a toll on me, I could no longer handle it, causing me to faint as well.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke yelled as darkness took over.

"W-Where…am….I?" I asked myself, rubbing my forehead.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" yelled Naruto, Hinata, and Ino. They immediately ran over and almost choked me to death.

"Guys…give her some room." Tsunade ordered.

They did as she told them to as she approached my bedside and handed me a pill.

"Take this, it'll prevent any migraine you have."

I nodded and did as she told me.

"Oh, Saku! I'm so glad you're alright!" mom said, placing her hand on my head.

Within fifteen minutes, I gained more and more visitors. Each asking me if I was okay or if I needed anything. I assured all of them that everything was fine. They all seemed to notice a change in my behavior, I was no longer smiling.

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" Tenten asked.

"Sakura-san, please smile! It is making you look weary and old. Your youthful innocence will disappear if you continue to do this!" Lee informed.

"Want some chips? I read that they're good for the soul."

"That's _Chicken noodle soup_, Chouji!" Ino said, irritated.

Without my brain warning me, I immediately burst out crying. At the same moment, Sasuke entered the room with a shocked look on his face. He ran to my side immediately and demanded to know what was wrong.

"We don't know, teme! She's crying for no reason! You can't blame all of us!"

Sasuke ignored him and gave me all of his undivided attention, "Sakura, tell me…please…"

His beautiful face allowed me to smile again, "I'm so sorry everyone for crying like this…it's just that…the fire stone is destroyed…and it's all my fault…I used too much chakra…and every village has a stone now except Konoha…we don't have anything we can call special anymore…"

Ayumu-san appeared next to Sasuke, "Sakura-san…that is nothing to cry about! Konoha has the legendary triumvirate: you, Sasuke-san, and Naruto-san. Besides, you and Sasuke-san are in love now. It is your love that will result in the recreation of the fire stone in due time."

And to that, I immediately blushed like a tomato causing Naruto, Ino, Lee, and Tenten to burst out laughing.

"_They are SO immature!"_

My blush did not go unnoticed by Sasuke who smirked at me.

Wataru burst into the room and enraptured me into a huge hug, "That's SO COOL! MY SISTER'S A HEART! AWESOME!"

I giggled, "It's more complicated than that, Wataru…"

For the rest of the time spent, we all shared laughs and smiles. Most importantly, love! Eventually, I was discharged from the hospital and continued working. I was still young, only 21, and there was much I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to continue improving my medical skill, so it could someday surpass Tsunade!

Tsunade had a tough time deciding whether or not Karin, Sasuke, and Suigetsu should stay in the village. I had to do tons of convincing and make the argument that Sasuke and I are part of the triumvirate, that we needed to be together at all times in case something happened. Sitting in my room, I remembered that flashback with lady Tsunade quite well.

"_**I don't know Sakura…he's an S-class criminal. We don't allow criminals in Konoha…"**_

"_**Tsunade-san, Sasuke was originally a member of this village, remember that? He's changed! You can't kick him out of Konoha! He's a member of the triumvirate! It's destiny that all three of us remain together!"**_

_**She paused as I added on, "And…I've grown to love him. It's become so strong now that…I can't bear to lose him."**_

"_**You guys aren't even dating!"**_

"_**Lady Hokage…I'm only 21…I don't have time to date. I don't even feel ready. Sasuke and I know that we love each other, so we decided to wait for marriage down the road."**_

_**She smiled, "You just wanna create another fire stone, don't you?"**_

_**A blush crept up my face, "Why don't you do something your actually good at like gambling, or chugging sake!"**_

_**And I slammed the door.**_

"_Such good memories…"_

Anyway, Karin and Suigetsu fell in love and instantly married. Hinata's father eventually accepted Tenten, Hinata, and Naruto. Allowing each of them to marry. The same went for Ino and Sai, Shikamaru and Temari, Kiba and Ayame, and Gaara and Matsuri.

It was in fact wedding season. I wanted to accomplish all of my goals before getting married, so that would have to wait a couple years. Sasuke made it blatantly obvious that he was oh so in love with me. I thought it was adorable. He respected my decision to wait for me, and I was glad.

No one ever found out about Danzo's death, and Tsunade kept it that way. She named Kakashi the next Hokage. She said to me that Naruto was too young, 21 was not an appropriate age. He still had so much to learn.

Six years passed and I turned 27 years old. I still felt quite young! Tsunade decided that I head up the medical ninja squad, and that, was an honor. Sasuke became the ANBU blackcop squad captain, he proved himself that he was a loyal and faithful member of Konoha and acquired so much skill over the years, so he got the job.

The best moment of my life happened: Sasuke proposed. He got my parent's approval and asked me to marry him under a cherry blossom tree. We kissed passionately and I cried tears of joy. At that moment, I knew that this was the man I wanted to be with forever. We couldn't let go of each other, we were so happy!

"I love you…" He said.

"I love you more!" I challenged.

The news spread, and the ENTIRE village showed up to our wedding. It was lavish and grand, how I always envisioned it to be. The Ichiraku ramen shop catered the food, much to Naruto's enjoyment. Sasuke and I were the last of our friends to get married, I didn't mind though, because it was now when I felt ready. Sasuke focused on becoming stronger and stronger. He lived up to the Uchiha name, and people all over no longer viewed the Uchiha family as a cursed clan, but as a clan that instilled, honor and justice in its village.

Sasuke and I sat alone in the cherry blossom park, enjoying our picnic on a beautiful spring day. We laughed, told each other secrets, spoke of our pasts, and planned for our future.

It finally hit me that I was married and that it was the beginning of the journey with the man I love.

My single days are OVER! Welcome to the Diaries of Uchiha Sakura!

**Author's Note: **That took FOREVER! I hope you totally enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought of this chapter! There will be one more chapter, and that will end this fic! I'll try to shoot between today and Monday. It WILL get done!

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!

~Sweetness 3


	70. The Greatest Gift of All

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Hope all is well! So I am super excited to end this story. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You've helped to make this entire process and enjoyable one, I'm glad to know my story is well liked. This is just the beginning of my fanfiction writing career, as I will continue with many more. I have TONS of ideas. My next fic will center yet again on SasuSaku! I'll give you more information on it at the end of this chappie. I give you the FINALE! Enjoy everyone

**Chapter 70: The Greatest Gift of All**

"Mama can I have it?"

"No sweetheart…we'll come back another time."

"Mama PWEASE!"

It was not easy being a mom, I'll say that much.

"_Ughhh…what I'd give to be a love struck teenager again!"_

My eyes met with the love of my life, Uchiha Sasuke.

"_On second thought…nah…"_

We shared a kiss and broke apart as Sasuke was the first to speak, "Sakura, I'll take the kids home…the nanny's waiting. Meanwhile, I think you should get ready."

"I will, and Sasuke, thanks so much. These four are a HANDFUL! I wanted to cook dinner for them tonight and they're seeing sugary sweets everywhere. I was afraid they'd go crazy, you don't think I'm being a bad mom right?"

He chuckled and stroked my face as my insides bubbled full of excitement, "No Sakura…you're not. I think-"

"DADDY! NOT FAIR!"

Sasuke reprimanded Akihiko for yelling as people walked through the streets of Konoha. They smiled, thinking how adorable he was acting. Sasuke and I, however, thought differently.

Oh…excuse me! I was so in the moment that I failed to introduce you all to my kids! You've already met Akihiko, the eldest. He's five years old. My son fits the exact stereotype of the eldest child. He's quite bossy and wants everything to be his way. It's possible that little kids normally act like this? I'm a relatively new mom and I've got lots to learn! Akihiko is the _exact _copy of Sasuke. You know, the onyx eyes and raven hair. His hair is even in that same duck-butt shape as Sasuke's! I laugh every time I think about it. There personalities are different though. Sasuke is cool, calm, and collected. Akihiko-chan is a bit on the hot-headed side. Again, it may be his age. We're trying hard to make him 'unspoiled'. He's just so adorable though! Unlike many other young couples, Sasuke and I have started off our marriage doing well financially. I'm the head medic and Sasuke-kun is the leader of the ANBU forces, so there's no reason why we shouldn't be raking in the bucks. Although… I at times am tempted to by Akihiko all sorts of things, and that includes candy…

Standing right beside me are my two other kids, Hiro and Hana. Yes, they're twins. Handling twins is not an easy task. They're both the complete opposite. Hiro is friendly and outgoing, he loves to play with other children and be given all the attention by the adults in the room. Hana is quiet and shy. She doesn't like to socialize much and associate with other people, except for me, Sasuke, my parents, and Tsunade-san. I've noticed though that she has a broad imagination for a four year old. She likes to spend her time scribbling on paper, with those pastel crayons. Her 'masterpieces' always look like the rainbow exploded! To encourage her budding talent, I put her drawings up on the fridge and frame them in her room. Hana is a miniature me. The same hair and eyes! That was why I gave her this name, because it means flower. Cherry blossoms are the most predominant flowers in Konoha, so I figured why not? Hiro has the same raven hair, but has inherited my green eyes. I would like to add that this is a beautiful combination. The style of his hair is different, thank God! I didn't want ANOTHER Uchiha male with the back of his head shaped like a chicken's behind! His is something a NORMAL four year old boy would have, just a short hair cut with a cow lick towards the back of his head-how cute!

Last but not least, is Naomi-chan! She and Hiro are a lot alike. She's outgoing and friendly. She also has an aggressive streak like Akihiro. Naomi, I've noticed is a perfectionist. This little one is about two and a half. On my days off, when the other kids are at school, I like to play dollhouse with her, just so she doesn't feel so lonely.

Anyway, back to the scene!

Sasuke got off early from work today. That's why I saw him here at the marketplace. I watched as he walked off with the kids, as I got ready to do some serious shopping. I'm normally not the one to do much of it, but today is our seventh anniversary. You wouldn't normally think of the number as anything special, but it's a lucky number! Especially here in Konoha. The legend goes that Yasuo, god of the physical body, spent years training and increasing his chakra levels in hopes to become even stronger. By building up his chakra, his physical strength would improve tremendously. He worked to open up all seven of his chakra channels, which is almost an impossible feat to accomplish. He was the first to do this! Many say that his unconditional view of love for all things, helped him to open these channels. For marriage, especially in Konoha, it is said that a married couple should have achieved full spiritual connection to one another by their seventh anniversary.

I think Sasuke and I have accomplished this!

Walking around for fourty-five minutes, searching for the perfect anniversary gift was harder than I thought. Sasuke was never one for presents; I figured he deserved it though! He's taking _me _out to one of Konoha's fanciest restaurants! And NO, it's not the Ichiraku Ramen Shop. It's called Akimichi's Cuisine. Yes, Chouji's family owns it. I believe one of his cousins is the chef. At least it's not Chouji himself; he would've eaten all the food! Although, he's in the restaurant often, giving his customers personalized attention trying to make conversation, which I think is very nice of him!

Walking past one of the boutiques, a beautiful silver watch caught my eye. It wasn't bad pricing either, something you'd get from the Wasabi clan from the tea country. My father still keeps in touch with Jirocho Wasabi, the leader of the clan. The year of the race happened the year I got married. Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, and I witnessed the whole event. Yet again, the Wasabi clan won! They have much better taste in merchandise than the Wagarashi clan anyways.

So yes I bought the watch…then….I remembered _another _gift. I figured tonight would be the perfect time to tell Sasuke-kun about it.

Walking home was nice! The weather was beautiful. I love that Sasuke and I married in the summer, what a great time to celebrate it, neh? My beautifully-decorated home came into view as I quickened my speed, excited for tonight.

Opening the door, I found Hana sitting at the kitchen table, drawing a picture, with Tsunade-san. Yes, _Tsunade-san_ is the nanny. She adores my children, and feels like a grandmother. She prefers them to call her obaa-san. It doesn't make her feel old, more like loved and cherished. Although, it's a different story when Naruto addresses her in that manner. She ignores him as everyone else does.

Oh! Did you tell you all that Naruto is now the Hokage? Yes, he has achieved his lifelong dream. It's not an easy job, stressful I might add. The interesting thing is…he loves every moment of sitting in that desk and doing what's best for Konoha. Unlike the previous hokages, Naruto has made a promise to become more proactive in the community. He walks amongst the villagers, and they all love him. Tsunade-san helps him with the paperwork, so he has more time to spend with his wife and kids. Hinata still has that shy streak, but is now used to Naruto's antics. Remember that saying: true love is about loving someone for their faults? Well, that applies in their case. I'm happy for them!

As well as for myself.

Akihiko and Hiro sat on the couch watching their favorite super hero show, while Naomi-chan peacefully played with her dolls.

"What's that your drawing, Hana-chan?" I asked curiously, while putting Sasuke's gift down on the kitchen counter.

"Us", she simply stated.

"She's worked really hard on it, Sakura", Tsunade added.

On the page were two stick figures. One with pink hair and the other with dark hair. The dark hair was even in the same duck-butt shape as Sasuke's!

"_She nailed it!"_

He and I were sitting on a bench in a colorful garden, smiling along with four other kids who I presume were obviously Hana and her siblings. My character was holding Naomi-chan. Hiro sat next to Sasuke-kun, who placed his hand on his head (Sasuke was the one with his hand on head, probably ruffling his hair). Then there was Hana holding a pink flower sitting on the ground next to Akihiko who stuck his tongue out playfully. There was a big red heart, and inside it were the words, "Together Forever."

"Hana! That's so sweet!"

She smiled, continuing to put the finishing touches on her piece.

"Tsunade-san, where's Sasuke?"

"Oh, he actually left a note for you. I'll just tell you anyway. He said there were some last minute things he had to get done, and he'll meet you at the restaurant 7:00 sharp."

I didn't mind, as long as Sasuke-kun and I were going to dinner together that was all that mattered.

It was about 6:00, so I made my way upstairs to shower and change.

"_What to wear…what to wear…" _ I thought while opening the closet after showering.

Like searching for a gift, finding an outfit also posed as a challenge.

"_Ughhhh just FIND something already! I'm losing time!"_

I tried on a long, semi-formal, black dress. It was about two inches past my knees, very classy looking. My long pastel-pink hair was let down, up to my mid-back. I looked myself in the mirror one more time before leaving.

"Sakura….VERY nice", Tsunade-san said as I walked down the steps.

I blushed thinking what Sasuke would say to me. Yes we're married, but there are those moment when we feel like silly teenagers. Or maybe it's just me?

"Thank you Tsunade-san! Okay kiddies, give mommy a big huggy and kissy!"

All four of them came running towards me, I felt so loved!

"Please be good for Obaa-san, okay? Daddy and I will be back shortly."

They nodded; I waved good-bye, and finally left. The walk to the restaurant wasn't too long, very refreshing! I love the evenings here in Konoha. There it was, with HUGE letters, lit in a dark shade of red sitting on top of an imperial-palace designed building. I walked in, and found no one there.

"_Where is everyone?"_

It was definitely open, Sasuke called way ahead in advance and made reservations. There was no special holiday…and it wasn't like the Akimichi's were out of town, there were so many of them! There was soft music playing and it grew louder and louder as I continued up the stairs. Yes, this restaurant is multiple floors, It's _that _popular.

I continued to live deeply in my thoughts until there was a loud and ecstatic, "!"

The chandelier lights turned on, revealing a room FILLED with people.

"Whaaaa…?" That was all I could utter out of my mouth, for I was stunned.

"Congrats!"

"Congratulations!"

"Grats dudette!"

"So happy for you!"

"You made it another year!"

"Whoopdidoo!"

"Yay, Saku!"

"Saku-chan may you be blessed for all the years to come!"

These were not even a _quarter _of all the congratulatory remarks I received. I was surrounded by all my family and friends, except for my own children of course.

I found Chouji, enrapturing me in a tight hug.

"Chouji…what is all this?"

He chuckled as his large tummy shook, sort of reminding me of Santa Claus, "Oh my sweet Sakura…it's your anniversary of course!"

I shook my head, "No, I mean…why all these people? Why all this surprise?"

He grinned, "Well it's your lucky number _seventh _anniversary. Sasuke set this whole thing up. Besides, all of us cherish Konoha's very own medic nin and captain of the ANBU blackop squad. You two are very important people to our village, as well as true friends. _ANNNNDDDD_…I was in the mood to party."

A smile couldn't help but break out on my face, "Awww…Chouji…you're such a good friend, thank you. I really appreciate it-"

He waved a finger in front of my face, "Uh-uh! If it's anyone to thank, it's your very own husband waiting for you, seated at your private table on the balcony upstairs."

Chouji ushered me to go where he said.

I arrived at the scene and found Sasuke seated at the table looking through his menu. The Sunset highlighted his features perfectly, he still looked the same to me…the same man I fell in love with.

I took my seat, "Sasuke…you didn't have to do all this! Honestly, I mean really-"

"I love you" was all he said to me, cutting me off completely.

I didn't bother responding as the waiter, AKA Chouji, came and took our orders.

It was an evening filled with joy, happiness, peace, and comfort. Sasuke and I haven't had one of these in a while. Not to say that I normally do not enjoy my life, it's just that he and I are so wrapped up with work _and _the kids that we barely have any time to spend together.

It was great to have some change, and hopefully, this will make the two of us have a night to ourselves more often.

We ate dessert and decided to exchange gifts.

"I love this watch, Sakura….thank you…."

He tried it on as his words, "Thank you" replayed back to back in my mind. He's said that many times before, and although just a simple phrase, there is deep meaning.

Sasuke handed me a simple black box, and after opening it, I found a gorgeous golden, heart-shaped locket. I unlocked it and found in one half of the heart, a picture of me, and in the other, of Sasuke.

"When I'm gone on missions…you'll have this to keep me in mind"

This brought me to tears. I couldn't help but immediately run over and cover him with kisses.

"I love you so much Uchiha Sasuke, you don't even know…"

Before he could respond, I immediately decided to tell him of my other gift.

"Oh, Sasuke! There's something else…"

He gave me an inquiring look, "Another gift? The watch was just fine-"

I put my finger to his lips, "This gift…you'll treasure more than just this watch."

"What is it?" he asked.

There was nothing but dead silence .I could see into his dark eyes that he was begging me to answer him.

"Another child…" I responded.

That seemed to take him a little off guard, "Your p-pregnant!"

I don't know why, but his reaction seemed to upset me, "Y-Your not mad at me, a-are you?"

He played with my hair and pecked me on the cheek, "God no…how could you ever say I'd be mad? You're bringing us another child….a new addition to the Uchiha clan."

We embraced each other again, bid everyone good-bye, and went back home.

This was of course the fifth time getting pregnant, not something you would call _fun_. Thank God it's been a healthy pregnancy. Months passed, and my children noticed my stomach growing larger and larger. Sasuke and I explained to them of the stork, planning to deliver us another brother or sister.

My parents, friends, and Tsunade-san would call to check up on me everyday, making sure I was eating the appropriate foods and not overworking myself. I assured them that everything was going okay.

I was into the sixth month, and things came to the point when I could not go to work once I delivered. Tsunade-san hired a temporary replacement. She came everyday to check up on me, and help out with the kids. Sasuke would call every couple hours from work, asking how I was doing. Our conversations would go like this:

"Hello?" I would answer.

"Sweetheart, how's everything?" Sasuke responded.

"Great…everything's perfectly fine Sasuke."

"How are Tsunade and the kids?"

And I would give him the same answer.

"Okay…well I'll see you at home soon."

"Okay Sasuke…"

"I love you" he would say.

"I love you too."

And we both hung up the fun.

His calls would get annoying, it's like he thought I wasn't able to take care of myself.

"It's because he loves you, you can't blame Sakura! Sasuke is always on missions. He's probably in more danger obviously than you are. Yet, he's still calling you."

That made me happy to hear it. I shouldn't get annoyed, I mean how many other husbands are out there who are as dedicated and loving as Uchiha Sasuke?

Not many.

I was heading into the seventh month, and for the next week or two weeks, Sasuke would be on a mission. Frankly, it was scary at times sleeping alone because recently I've been having these awful nightmares. I'd get up in the middle of the night and get a cool glass of water, in hopes to calm myself down.

What made them scary you may ask?

There was a dark figure….looked like a man. He laughed a maniacal laughter while walking towards me as the wildfire behind me grew in size. He'd always say, "You're not _fit _to be an Uchiha…he only wants you to keep reproducing and increasing the members of his clan. He's selfish, he doesn't love you. Get out of this marriage while you can, because once you have this child, he'll dispose of you."

The thought scared me.

"_Sasuke?...a user?"_

I ignored those dreams initially, but as days passed, they grew worse. This man at times would appear in my daydreams. He would play with my mind, and I felt like I was hallucinating. Sasuke would call often, but there was no way I could tell him any of this! It would freak him out…maybe think I was crazy? I didn't want to tell anybody for that matter.

One afternoon, I was exhausted and took a nap while the kids took theirs. That same dream appeared again. I woke up, and there was a shadow figure in my room.

"S-Sasuk-ke?" I managed to whisper.

"I will kill you….GIVE IT TO ME!" the figure roared.

My instincts told me to run as fast as I could out of the room, which I did. I heard footsteps coming down the steps as I ran to gather the children. It was that man!

"_I have to get out of here!"_

I turned the TV on as loud as I could, waking the kids up.

"Kiddies….let's go. We have to go see Uncle Naruto."

They wasted no time getting out of the house, they love Naruto!

I couldn't run, but I walked as fast as my pregnant self could take me. It was hot outside, and it made everything worse. My vision blurred, and, I fainted…

"Mama!" Akihiko called.

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of his call.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto literally screamed, almost choking me.

"Naruto-kun, please give Sakura-chan some room." Hinata said.

He lay off of me as I groaned from the headache I received, "W-What happened?"

"You fainted." Tsunade simply answered.

They were all deeply concerned and bombarded me with questions until the phone rang.

"Hello?" Naruto answered.

"Naruto, did you call?" Sasuke said on the other line.

"Oh yeah, I did! I wanted to get the reports on the mission and see how it's going. But…seeing that you're coming back today and Sakura isn't doing very we-"

I glared at Naruto for even mentioning my condition to Sasuke. I didn't want him freaking out while he was on an important mission.

"What the hell happened to her? Tell me now!"

Naruto spent his time trying to come up with some answer.

"Let me talk to Sakura….NOW"

Naruto handed me the phone. I put it to my ear.

"Sakura? What happened? Is everything okay? How are the kids?"

All those questions just came at me. I wanted to answer but couldn't. The man spoke through my mind,

"He asked how the _kids _were doing, to keep the clan going. Forget him…I can sense that this child inside of you possesses great power. Come to me Sakura…come…."

After that, I dropped the phone and walked out of the room with Naruto, Tsunade, and Hinata calling behind me.

The man's voice replayed over and over again. It was enticing; I wanted to follow it wherever it told me to go.

I ignored Kakashi on the way.

"Sakura?"

"Sakura!"

This time, he dropped his book and walked after me. Somehow, my speed was able to increase. There was this new chakra flowing through me, it didn't feel at all like it was mine.

I passed by the two guards closest to the gate who greeted me. Yet, I ignored them completely. They kept telling me not to go outside the gates at this hour. It was now 10:00 p.m. Konoha has a curfew time. I didn't listen, and instead, continued to open the doors.

"Sakura, stop it." Kakashi called, following me from behind.

Immediately, Naruto, Hinata, Tsunade, Rock Lee, Chouji, Ino, Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten, and Kiba made it to the scene along with my other children.

"What are you doing, Sakura-san? You're pregnant for goodness sake! You need rest to look youthful for your newborn child!" stated Lee.

I merely smirked, "I'm leaving Konoha forever…"

They all gasped as I fled the village while they chased after me. My thoughts conflicted.

"_What am I doing? Why am I running away? I should be at home!"_

"_**Nonsense…sitting home and doing nothing is for the weak. The farther and farther you run, the more you won't have to care about severing those bonds. Just keep going and give yourself to me…."**_

I kept going, running even faster this time. As I did, there was Sasuke on his way with his ANBU forces. My body moved on its own and ran the other direction, so he wouldn't see me.

"_**Let's keep going my sweet…I'm farther down south…not too much farther away…"**_

"SAKURA!" I heard Sasuke yell from behind.

"_They must have seen me! I need to go back!"_

"_**NO!"**_

Thinking of my family gave me the strength to somehow stay where I was and fight this other force.

They finally caught up and Sasuke immediately embraced me, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Something could've happened to you! When I got back on the phone with Naruto, I was worried sick. Please…don't leave Konoha….stay with me…"

I gathered up the energy to speak and instead found that there was another voice, much deeper and masculine-sounding at that, which spoke for me.

"You selfish bastard…leave me and my child alone…You're using me to be your 'baby-machine'. You care nothing in the world for me. Get out of my life."

Those words left him burned and hurt, this showed through his eyes.

"S-Sakura….?" Sasuke uttered.

"Teme! That's _not _the real Sakura-chan! You should know that, she's your wife for god sake! She's not cruel…she loves you and you should know that deep down in your heart." Naruto said.

"She's being controlled by an inner spirit or demon…" Kakashi explained.

"Naruto…should we?" Sasuke began asking.

Naruto merely nodded.

The two performed a special jutsu dance and called, "Forbidden Spirit no Kage Extraction Jutsu!"

I seemed to take control of myself again, and a black shadow exited my body. Suddenly, energy radiated from where I was holding the baby.

"_**NEVER COME BACK, MADARA!"**_

I immediately recognized the voice, "Ai!"

"_**It was Madara's spirit inside of you Sakura…I embodied myself into your child, so when she is born, she will possess my powers as you do."**_

And with that, her thoughts left me and I fell to the ground, still stunned by the whole thing.

"Sakura!" Sasuke cried, as he rushed over and scooped me into his arms.

He wasted no time bringing me home. I fell asleep that night, peacefully. Sasuke took the next two months off, to ensure all my needs were met. All of our friends would visit often, bringing me goodies, hoping they would make me feel better.

And they did!

The day I delivered, it was hard and I remember Sasuke looking as frightened as ever as I cried out in pain. I was the one giving birth, not him! Finally, it happened. The newest addition to the Uchiha family had arrived.

"It's a girl!" Tsunade cried joyfully.

"What do you want to her name her", Shizune asked, holding up the birth certificate.

Sasuke and I gazed into each other's eyes as he kissed my forehead.

"Aiko", I said.

We now had five children, and us parents were extremely happy. I was happy that whole Madara thing was over. I know Sasuke loves me for me, not because of my ability to produce offspring. We shared a gift that would provide our family with so much peace, joy, and happiness. It is unconditional and irrevocable, something that cannot be taken away from us.

Uchiha Sasuke and I share the gift of love, always and forever.

**Author's Note: **THE END! Thank you so much everyone! You guys have been great fans! I appreciate each and every one of you reading and reviewing! Oh! I'm starting another story which will probably come out in 2 weeks. It's a continuation of what fellow author, UnheardSymphony wrote. It's called _Secret of the Heart_. Same basic plot, except I'm adding many of my own ideas, that's what writers do. This was my first fanfiction ever written, so I hope you all enjoyed it. Like I said before, I will be writing many more. So look out for this next story. The first chappie will come out between now and…in 2 weeks I'm thinking.

You all are great people, and don't forget to review this final chapter!

Yours truly,

~Sweetness


	71. For my readers: A little Questionnaire!

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! So this after finishing the story…I'd like to know what your thoughts/opinions were on it. Here is a little questionnaire I'd like you to take a look at and answer as you guys are HOPEFULLY reviewing:

How would you characterize Haruno Sakura? What did you like about her? What didn't you like about her?

How would you characterize Uchiha Sasuke? What did you like about him? What didn't you like about him?

Who was your favorite character and why?

Which character do you mostly relate to and why? (I relate to Sakura…this fic is based off of my life)

Which character did you hate the most? Why?

What did you think of the plot?

What do you think of my writing?

Was the story engaging?

What didn't you like about the story? What were some aspects did you think I could improve?

How would you describe the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura in this fic?

Would you consider reading more of my stories?

What did you think of me as an author?

**Author's Note: **If you guys could answer these questions that would be really helpful. All the answers you give me, I will keep in mind for my future fics. THANKS AGAIN, I love you all :)


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